🏫 Major Update: DOJ Ends 59-Year-Old School Desegregation Order in Louisiana
The U.S. Department of Justice has officially lifted a long-standing school desegregation order in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, originally put in place in 1966. While officials call it a sign of progress, civil rights groups are raising red flags, warning that this could lead to the return of segregated schools — and possibly the removal of more desegregation orders across the country.
🕰️ A Quick Look Back: What Are Desegregation Orders?
These orders date back to the Civil Rights Movement, introduced to enforce school integration after the historic 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
📌 Key facts:
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The DOJ issued these legal orders starting in the 1960s
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They aimed to eliminate racial segregation in public schools
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Orders stay active until a district proves it has fully addressed segregation
✅ Why the Louisiana Order Was Closed
The Plaquemines Parish district was declared integrated back in 1975, but the legal case lingered for decades.
A federal judge's death and misplaced records caused the case to remain unresolved — until now.
📄 A joint motion filed by the DOJ and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill declared all issues “fully resolved.”
🏫 Superintendent Shelley Ritz added that ongoing federal oversight placed unnecessary pressure on her small district of just under 4,000 students.
🧾 What Desegregation Orders Typically Include
Desegregation orders are not just about where students sit — they cover wide-ranging equity measures in schools.
🎒 Areas usually addressed:
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School zoning and student transfers
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Diversity in teacher and staff hiring 👩🏾🏫
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Bus transportation policies 🚌
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Equal access to advanced programs 📘
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Fair discipline practices ⚖️
Even during COVID-19, some of these orders were used to challenge remote learning policies that unfairly affected Black students.
⚖️ Reactions From Civil Rights Advocates
While government officials view the closure as a milestone, many civil rights leaders see it differently.
📣 Concerns raised:
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💬 “Schools today are more segregated than in 1954,” said Johnathan Smith, a civil rights lawyer.
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📊 Research shows resegregation often begins once oversight ends.
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📉 Halley Potter, a policy expert, warned that ending federal oversight could weaken educational equality efforts.
🗺️ Where Do Desegregation Orders Still Exist?
More than 130 school districts across the U.S. still operate under desegregation mandates, particularly in the South.
📍 States with ongoing DOJ orders:
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Alabama
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Mississippi
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Georgia
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Louisiana
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Florida and others
Some school systems also follow separate equity agreements under the U.S. Department of Education.
🔮 What Happens Next?
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has asked for reviews of other remaining desegregation orders in the state.
Federal officials also suggest that more districts may be released from oversight in the near future.
⚖️ However, civil rights groups are preparing for possible legal battles if districts are let go without clear evidence of racial equity.
🧵 In Summary:
✅ The DOJ has ended a 59-year-old desegregation order in Louisiana.
⚠️ While officials believe it's a step forward, advocates are warning of possible setbacks.
📍 Over 130 districts are still under desegregation oversight — for now.
