Iowa school district agrees to deal with racial harassment

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education says an Iowa school district failed to protect a Black student from pervasive racial harassment and now must take steps to help the student. The department announced Monday that it had resolved a complaint filed against the Ottumwa school district after investigating allegations of harassment in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school year against a middle school student. The investigation found the harassment amounted to a “racial hostile environment” that violated the student’s federal civil rights.  The statement says the student endured repeated racial slurs and other harassment. District officials were told of the harassment but didn’t take effective actions.