The University City School District has been accused of discriminating against African-Americans because gifted programs were dominated by whites

Paul Hampel:

The University City School District has agreed to review its policies and procedures in response to a U.S. Department of Education investigation of alleged racism in the district's gifted programs.

District resident Walter A. Daniels Jr. filed the complaint in November. It accused the district of discriminating against blacks because gifted programs were dominated by whites.

Last year, 49 of the 159 students in University City's Gifted and Talented Education program were black.

As part of an agreement with the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, the district will check its policies and procedures to "ensure they are bias-free and free from racial stereotypes."

The district has agreed to submit a comprehensive review of the program to the Office for Civil Rights by Jan. 31.

Daniels said he was glad the federal government would monitor the district. Daniels sat on the University City School Board in the early 1980s.

District spokeswoman Daphne Dorsey said the agreement was voluntary and denied that the gifted program was racist.

She said: "We were working to make this program more inclusive before the complaint, and we will continue to do so."

Schools' gifted program is accused of discriminating against black students