McDonald’s sued for Latino scholarships after ditching some DEI practices

McDonald’s is being sued over its HACER scholarship program for Latino students after changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The American Alliance for Equal Rights claimed the program discriminates against certain high school students based on ethnicity.

“But when McDonald’s expressed this new commitment to treat ‘everyone’ fairly, it didn’t mean everyone. Even after its civil-rights audit, McDonald’s has decided to continue a program that blatantly discriminates against high schoolers based on their ethnicity,” the lawsuit said.  

The fast food giant announced changes to its DEI policies following the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling against affirmative action.

The lawsuit seeks a temporary injunction before McDonald’s announces this year’s scholarship awards in February.