Discrimination is the unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or sexual orientation. What is School Discrimination?Discrimination means, at a very basic level, the act of separating out singular things or groups of things. It can be both an adjective and a verb. To "discriminate" against someone means to treat that person differently, or less favorably, for some reason. Discrimination means treating someone unfairly because of a certain characteristic. Discrimination can be on the basis of one's race, gender, or disability. Learn how to file a discrimination or retaliation complaint with ED's Office for Civil Rights. A simplified description of the legal definition of discrimination is when a person is treated disfavourably or when a person's dignity is violated. A charge of discrimination is a signed statement asserting that an employer, union or labor organization engaged in employment discrimination.