Sixty Years Later, a School Desegregation Order Lifted: What Now?
For almost sixty years, a shadow hung over Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana: a school desegregation order. Now, it’s gone. Poof. The Department of Justice decided to lift the 1966 order, and, honestly, it’s sparked a huge debate. Is this progress, or a giant step backward for school integration? It’s a complicated question, and I’m going to try to break it down.
First, let’s talk about these desegregation orders. You know, after Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 – that landmark Supreme Court case that declared segregation unconstitutional – the fight was far from over. Many school districts dragged their feet, big time. So, the Department of Justice stepped in, issuing these orders throughout the 60s and beyond to try and enforce the law.
These weren't just suggestions, either. They covered things like school zoning, student assignment, teacher hiring, busing, even access to programs and resources – making sure everything was actually fair and equal. Basically, these orders stuck around until a district could *really* prove they'd fully addressed the lingering effects of segregation.
A Louisiana Twist
Plaquemines Parish was declared integrated back in 1975. But, get this – because of a judge’s death and some missing court records, the whole case kind of went dormant. Then, the DOJ and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill jointly decided to end the order, saying all the issues had been “fully resolved.” The superintendent, Shelley Ritz, also argued that the ongoing reporting requirements were a huge burden on her small district.
But here’s the thing that’s got a lot of people worried: civil rights groups are sounding the alarm. They see this decision as setting a dangerous precedent. They point out that many schools today are, sadly, even *more* segregated than they were back in 1954. And research consistently shows that once oversight ends, schools tend to resegregate pretty quickly. It’s like watching a slow-motion train wreck, knowing it's heading for a crash but unable to stop it.
Louisiana’s Attorney General has also requested reviews of other desegregation orders in the state, raising the scary possibility that more could be dropped. Over 130 school districts nationwide are still under similar orders – this could be just the beginning.
A Setback or a Necessary Step?
Officials say these orders are outdated and burdensome, and in some ways, that makes sense. But critics, like education policy expert Halley Potter, argue that ending these orders doesn't erase the deep inequalities that still exist. It’s like saying, “The problem is gone, just because we stopped looking.” It doesn't work like that, of course. The fight for truly integrated schools is far from over; and that’s what makes this decision so unsettling.
The end of this decades-long desegregation order in Plaquemines Parish is a big deal. It’s a pivotal moment, one that’s causing huge waves. While some see it as a positive step, the fear of increased segregation is very real. This debate highlights how far we still have to go to achieve real equality in education, and it’s a conversation we desperately need to keep having.
