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MUNSTER — The Department of Education is investigating possible racial discrimination in the School Town of Munster, an education department spokesperson confirmed.

The federal department's Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation based on race/color harassment on March 4, the department spokesperson said in a statement provided to The Times on Monday.

The Office of Civil Rights is an arm of the Department of Education that provides guidance to federally funded schools and processes claims of discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age.

More information on how the Office of Civil Rights investigates complaints of discrimination can be found on its website.

Munster superintendent Jeff Hendrix said that the district has responded to a claim made with the Office of Civil Rights and has provided information for the office's investigation.

Both declined to comment further on specific details of the case while the investigation is active, leaving several questions unanswered as to why the investigation was launched this spring and whether any particular Munster school or employee is a focus of the investigation.