Education Law

It’s the time of year for high school seniors to celebrate graduations and look forward to future plans.  Many students are looking forward to college or trade schools and many schools and private organizations offer scholarships and awards to graduating seniors. 

At first glance some of those scholarships may seem discriminatory.  For example, the Polish American club may offer a scholarship to a student of Polish descent or a church may provide money to a Christian student who is going to study religion. 

The school must ensure that any award, scholarship or other distinction that it is given by the school is free of restrictions based on race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.  For example, it may offer a scholarship for the student who excelled in community service during high school but it may not restrict that award to the African-American student who excelled in community service or the female student who excelled in community service.

However, the school district may print or post private scholarships that do have restrictions based on the above categories.   But, the district may not advise a student on whether or not to apply for the award or scholarship, nor may it give preferential treatment to any one scholarship.  In essence, the school district may provide a list of the scholarships but it may not get involved in their administration.

Graduation awards and scholarships are important.  They honor students for work well done and help them, even just a little, with the skyrocketing costs of higher education.  Therefore, it is important that the school district administer the awards fairly, equitably and legally so that the students and their families can enjoy the honor.

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