What others are saying about the nomination of Kenneth Marcus
We opposed Trump’s nominee for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the Department of Education, Kenneth Marcus, because he would undermine the very mission he is supposed to uphold. He has been widely opposed by myriad other progressive and rights focused organizations; here is what many of them had to say:
“Mr. Marcus has not demonstrated a willingness and ability to enforce civil rights law and protect all students in our country from discrimination and he is therefore unsuited to lead the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.” – Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
“It will be bad news for students across the country if Kenneth Marcus is confirmed… Marcus supports Secretary Betsy DeVos’s attack on the rights of sexual assault survivors. He has expressed marked indifference about the rights of undocumented and LGBTQ students to attend school and learn in a safe environment. ” – National Women’s Law Center
“In light of growing number of #MeToo moments and the scandal at Michigan State University, we need these Title IX protections.” – National Council on Jewish Women
“We write to express grave concern over the nomination of Kenneth Marcus… During Marcus’ confirmation hearing, he was unable to definitely state that OCR can and should investigate racial disparities… Marcus risks opening a dangerous door for the possibilities of discrimination based on political expression.” – The Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
“Kenneth Marcus’s civil rights record, including his writing and prior stint as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, suggests he’s simply not up to the task. In particular, Mr. Marcus lacks a strong commitment to using all legal theories available to protect the civil rights of students” – NAACP Legal Defense Fund
“While the ACLU does not support or oppose any nomination for any government office, we strongly urge all senators to oppose moving forward on the nomination at least until they have had a meaningful opportunity to review and debate Marcus’s full record on civil rights… Although Marcus has been laissez-faire about enforcing civil rights laws to protect women, LGBT people, and people of color, he has been a passionate crusader against students and others who criticize the Israeli government” – American Civil Liberties Union
“UnidosUS (formerly NCLR) and the National Urban League joined today in opposing the nomination of Kenneth L. Marcus as the next Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education. The groups noted his troubling record with regard to enforcing the rights of immigrant students and English learners, and past attempts to undermine critical policies aimed at remedying racial discrimination, including affirmative action.” – UnidosUS and the National Urban League
