By Patricia Morris
The following link is the Advocate's account of Judge Lemelle's ruling in favor of the TPSS's Deseg Plan, with modifications from Judge Lemelle. Great Story Debra:
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/86485472.html
The plan, signed by Judge Lemelle is one that has the potential to desegregate the schools in this school system, however, it is such, because months of wrangling in court over their plan was done to ensure desegregation of schools in this school system would happen. The true picture of whether or not the TPSS will comply is yet to be seen, as well as whether or not the voters will vote to assess themselves $200 million in taxes is yet to be realized. Consequently, this school system has always thwarted, or simply refused to comply with previous orders from Judge Lemelle.
As time is a revealer of all things, it will reveal in just over a year whether or not the TPSS will accept their spanking from a Federal Judge who did what he said he would do last year in court in putting things into place that would set precedence in this case, and desegregate the TPSS, and as an added guarantee, stating "no racially identifiable schools" would be accepted under their own plan, among other things in his order signed yesterday, and certainly 45 and/or 90 days from now if what Judge Lemelle has ordered will come to full fruition. We think not.
Nonetheless, it would appear we just may be headed back to court, if the school system does not comply with their own plan, and yes, the NAACP yet contends a Federal Forensic Compliance Audit is needed; now more than ever.