§2000c–6 Civil actions by the Attorney General

Summary

The Attorney General can bring a civil case when he gets a written, signed complaint saying one of two things: parents (or a group of parents) say their minor children, as a group, are being denied equal protection by a school board; or an individual (or that person’s parent) says they were refused admission to or not allowed to keep attending a public college because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Attorney General can also act when people cannot start or carry on a lawsuit because they can’t afford it, can’t get a lawyer, or would face danger to their safety, job, money, family, or property by suing. Here, “parent” includes someone acting like a parent, and “complaint” means a written document under federal law.