U.S. government sues to block vouchers in some Louisiana school systems

[Eugene]

Source: The Times-Picayune

By Danielle Dreilinger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on August 24, 2013 at 11:02 AM, updated August 24, 2013 at 4:00 PM

The U.S. Justice Department is suing Louisiana in New Orleans federal court to block 2014-15 vouchers for students in public school systems that are under federal desegregation orders. The first year of private school vouchers "impeded the desegregation process," the federal government says.

Thirty-four school systems could be affected, including those of Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. John the Baptist and St. Tammany parishes. Under the lawsuit, the state would be barred from assigning students in those systems to private schools unless a federal judge agreed to it. A court hearing is tentatively set for Sept. 19.

The statewide voucher program, officially called the Louisiana Scholarship Program, lets low-income students in public schools graded C, D or F attend private schools at taxpayer expense. This year, 22 of the 34 systems under desegregation orders are sending some students to private schools on vouchers.

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The Justice Department's primary argument is that letting students leave for vouchered private schools can disrupt the racial balance in public school systems that desegregation orders are meant to protect. Those orders almost always set rules for student transfers with the school system.

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Read more: http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2013/08/us_government_files_to_block_s.html

[Seedersandleechers]

1. It will go to the Supreme Court

and a 5-4 decision in favor of segregation. It sucks to be us.

[Supersedeas]

2. there are some law firms who will hit the jackpot with the legal maneuvering in this case

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Desegregation is still an issue down there? - jeeeze!

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will it never end?

(sigh)

CC

[elleng]

4. No, CC, it won't end.

Aside from 'direct' cases like this, housing is segregated due to 'tradition' and economic situations, and hence schools continue to be. (This is everywhere, not just the south.)