NYC schools face complaint for cutting sports access to Black and Latino students

April 19, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Fort Hamilton Tigers Troy Booker #6 breaks through the line on a first half touchdown run against the Lincoln Railsplitters during a high school football game on Saturday, November 21, 2015 in Brooklyn, NY. Fort Hamilton won and advance in the PSAL playoffs. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

Pictured here is a Fort Hamilton-Lincoln PSAL football game. A civil rights complaint alleges that NYC Public Schools' recent rescinding of a policy providing "Guaranteed Individual Access" to sports has disproportionately stripped Black and Latino students of equal opportunities to participate in athletic programs. Photo: Gregory Payan/AP

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A civil rights complaint has been filed against the New York City Public Schools Athletic League, alleging that recent policy changes have significantly reduced access to sports for Black and Latino students.

The complaint, spearheaded by David Garcia-Rosen, the director of school culture and athletics at Bronx Academy of Letters, asserts that a decision made in fall 2023 to eliminate “guaranteed individual access” to sports teams has disproportionately affected minority students.

In Spring 2023, the NYC Public Schools initiated a policy ensuring that all students, regardless of the school they attended, could try out for any of the 51 sports teams offered by the PSAL. This policy change was celebrated as a significant step towards equity, allowing 100 percent of Black and Hispanic students access to sports.

However, by fall 2023, the policy was abruptly rescinded, limiting access to students from schools with fewer than six sports teams. This shift has left only 8 percent of Black and Latino students with the same level of access they briefly enjoyed.

The complaint was filed on April 17, 2024, under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. It details the impact of the policy change, noting that 184,680 Black and Latino students have lost access to the broader range of PSAL sports teams.

The current access disparity is stark: students at schools composed of 80-100% Black and Latino populations have access to an average of 13 teams, while those at schools with 0-20 percent Black and Latino populations have access to 28 teams.

Garcia-Rosen is scheduled to provide public testimony on the issue at the Panel For Education Policy meeting on Thursday night, which NYC Schools Chancellor Banks is expected to attend. The complaint calls for a return to the spring 2023 policy of “Guaranteed Individual Access” for all students.

Students and educators have expressed their disappointment and frustration over the policy rollback. Jayla Jerez, a 10th grader at Bronx Academy of Letters, shared her personal setback, having been able to play basketball through the individual access program but now at risk of losing her opportunity to play next year.

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