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EBR Looks for Balance After Court Order

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 January 2006, 09:00 CST

By EMILY KERN

EBR looks for balance after court order

East Baton Rouge Parish School Board members held the first public discussion Thursday on how to enroll students in the school systems popular magnet programs once the system is no longer under court supervision.

The settlement agreement in the school systems desegregation case ends in the summer 2007.

At that time, the residents of the parish, through their elected School Board members, will control all aspects of the system without oversight from the courts and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The school system likely will have to discontinue its practice of setting race-specific admission targets for the magnet programs a process the board has relied on to make sure the magnets have comparable numbers of black and white students.

The school systems legal counsel, Domoine Rutledge, said that instead of race, the board could use socio-economic status based on a students eligibility for free and reduced-price lunches as a way to ensure diversity.

Rutledges comments came at a board workshop open to the public Thursday at the School Boards central office.

In a case involving Caddo Parish, Rutledge said, the courts have endorsed the use of race-neutral means of obtaining diversity in schools, and added some suggestions, including considering certain criteria relating to an applicants household. Those characteristics include socio-economic status, educational level of parents or number of parents in the home.

Rutledge said the board needs to start talking about the 2007- 2008 school year now because the enrollment process for magnet programs begins well in advance of the beginning of school. Schools are receiving applications now for the start of the 2006-2007 school year, he said.

Board member Jill Dyson said she wants to reassure parents who have recently enrolled students or are transferring students from private and parochial schools that the board would not disrupt students currently enrolled.

Board member Roger Moser called Rutledges presentation a fine piece of work, but said hed like to hear more about the future of all schools not just magnets at the conclusion of the final settlement agreement.

That was a sentiment echoed by several board members throughout the discussion.

While schools that are dedicated magnets have seen an increase in students from the private sector coming back to public schools in the parish, that same trend is not happening in schools without magnet programs.

For schools that are not magnets, were putting the kiss of death on them, said board member William P. Bill Black. What are these schools supposed to do? How do they attract people there?

Board member C.H. Thornton said he disagreed that race should not be considered when admitting students to the magnet programs, nor did he believe it should be the only consideration.

I dont see how we can ignore race, he said.

Source: Advocate; Baton Rouge, La.

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