Multiracial

My mom recently received an email from the superintendent regarding a civil rights data collection survey from the US Department of Education our school must fill out. One part of this survey requires the school to report the races of all the students. The email informed my mother that her daughter (me) has reported herself as biracial based on the school records. However, the survey does not offer this option. Which leaves me forced to answer the question: what race am I? I have never identified myself with one race or the other (black or white). If I choose white, I'm neglecting the fact my father is a black man and vice-versa. I found it interesting that the Department of Education found it fitting to call their survey a "civil rights" survey when they force students like me to make a decision on which race they are over the other. I was born both races, and I am proud to be both, as anyone should be of their own race. Why is it that the Department of Education has, for forty years, decided to ignore the more than 6 million Americans who identify as multiracial. (Census Scope)?
The legal definition of the phrase "Civil Rights" is defined as many things, 'including the  "freedom from discrimination." To further clarify, the dictionary defines discrimination as "making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit". In my opinion, the Civil Rights Data Collection survey is doing just this.

Not only can you not choose more than one, but there are only 5 options:

·         White

·         Black

·         American Indian/Alaska Native

·         Asian/Pacific Islander

·         Hispanic

Middle Eastern? Not an option.  But I guess they could just be Asian for this survey, right? 

Multiracial? Not an option.  Just choose one, it doesn't matter, right?

Do you think the civil rights survey is discriminatory? Why do you think they leave out multiracial as an option? Why do they only have five options and do not include an 'other' option for people to write in their race?