U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today issued the following statement upon the resignation of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Gerald A. Reynolds. Reynolds announced that he is resigning effective Nov. 1.

"For the past two years, Jerry has been a trusted advisor to me on all civil rights matters, and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of his role here at the department. He has been a quiet voice of reason and a critical team player in our efforts to ensure educational excellence for all children. His principled stances on civil rights issues have benefited countless students, and his leadership has been paramount to the Department’s success. On behalf of President Bush and the entire Department of Education, I thank him for his service."

As assistant secretary of education for civil rights, Reynolds led one of the largest civil rights enforcement units in the federal government. The Office for Civil Rights investigates and resolves anti-discrimination complaints at the nation’s education institutions, including complaints of race, age, gender and disability discrimination.

Prior to joining the Bush administration, Reynolds was senior regulatory counsel at Kansas City Power & Light Company; before this, he was president of the Center for New Black Leadership.

A graduate of City University of New York, at York College, Reynolds earned his law degree from Boston University.

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