{"id":1665,"date":"2026-03-20T21:25:52","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T21:25:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=1665"},"modified":"2026-03-20T21:25:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T21:25:52","slug":"california-school-district-pays-270k-to-teach-students-rap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=1665","title":{"rendered":"California school district pays $270K to teach students rap"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F03%2Frap.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>One of California\u2019s most underperforming school districts is spending nearly $300,000 teaching kids to rap, raising the alarm among DEI watchdogs.<\/p>\n<p>In January, the Merced City School District in the Central Valley \u2014 one of the state\u2019s lower-performing school districts based on test performances \u2014 signed a $270,000 agreement with Fresno-based School Yard Rap, which describes its approach to learning as \u201cedutainment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The contracts include a summer \u201cRap Camp\u201d and an \u201cAfrican American Affinity Group\u201d, which is capped for 100 African American students, raising questions about whether the programming complies with federal law.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A screenshot of the contract states a camp for public school students is specifically for African American students.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cSchools cannot include or exclude students from programs and activities based on race or ethnicity \u2014 it\u2019s against the law,\u201d said Erika Sanzi, senior director of communications at Defending Education, an advocacy group that tracks equity-focused programming in schools.<\/p>\n<p>In a little over a year, Merced has handed out three contracts worth a total of $610,000 to School Yard Rap, which operates across 28 states, including New York, New Jersey and Texas. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Programming includes history lessons, songwriting, DJing and performances. But the possibility of race-based programming in Merced public schools is now on the radar of federal officials. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is illegal for the government to offer benefits solely on the basis of race,\u201d Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division told The Post in statement. \u201cWe have not had the opportunity to investigate these allegations, but if true, they are troubling.\u201d <\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Rights Division, has led investigations into schools and universities that make decisions on race-based criteria.  <span class=\"credit\">MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>District officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment by phone and email, but Brandon Brown, a former school teacher and founder of School Yard Rap, disputed that the programming is exclusionary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis camp specifically \u2014 the African American Affinity Camp \u2014 is open to every single student grades 3rd to 8th, focusing on African American history and the diaspora,\u201d Brown told The Post.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think this is politically driven and the reason this is being called out.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>School Yard Rap\u2019s programming includes live performances that focus on history that is not often taught in schools. <span class=\"credit\">Youtube\/School Yard Rap<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In one of its signature programs titled \u201cMoor than a Month,\u201d song lyrics mimicking the style of hip hop group Migos take direct aim at white patriarchy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019mma be Black every day that I\u2019m here, no cap, for more than a month, just like every Black kid in class,\u201d the song says. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo this album for them, but this track\u2019s for you \u2014 every teacher and parent, you need this truth.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHistory books have a white male skew, but believe me I ain\u2019t blaming you. That\u2019s who wrote it on paper \u2014 it\u2019s a cycle by nature. We give what we got, but I\u2019m here to break it and bring education on what is not taught, trust it\u2019s a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe title=\"School Yard Rap presents &quot;Moor Than A Month&quot;; a Black History Live Concert GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW!!!\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hncAOj7f5Ak?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Brown told The Post that School Yard Rap\u2019s view is that giving children more information about the culture of others \u201chelps eradicate a lot of hate and ignorance in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Students in Merced\u2019s school district, which serves around 11,000 students between kindergarten and eighth grade, have historically struggled with a student-teacher ratio of 25 to 1, according to Niche, a website that compiles data to rank and review schools.<\/p>\n<p>School Yard Rap also hosted a concert in which a performer championed the legacy of farmworker organizer C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez, who this week was outed as an alleged sexual predator who groomed and raped under age girls.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe title=\"Si Se Puede by Griot B. and School Yard Rap, Delano Grape Strike, Cesar Chavez #childrensmusic\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8h4jEGbhycw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Federal law prohibits public schools that receive federal funding from excluding students or distributing benefits based on race. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, race-based programs can trigger legal scrutiny.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Department of Justice under President Trump has opened investigations into school districts over race-based hiring and student programming, while the Department of Education has warned that programs separating or favoring students based on race could violate civil rights law and risk federal funding.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Cali - Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia&#8217;s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In April 2025, feds launched an investigation into Chicago Public Schools\u2019 Black Student Success Plan over alleged race-based benefits, and a September 2025 probe into Des Moines Public Schools for race-based hiring practices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe want to have a lot of African American students in this program to learn about their culture and history and aspire to more, but it\u2019s not in any violation of federal funding, because it is not limited to African American students,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>\n<p>However, Defending Ed officials have taken issue not only with the programming content, but also the Merced school district\u2019s priorities in a statement to The Post.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf equity was my goal,\u201d Sanzi said, \u201cI\u2019d start with reading and math scores and income level to identify the students most in need of extra support.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; 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