(The Center Square) — After over 50 years, an open desegregation case against Plaquemines Parish School Board filed by the U.S. Department of Justice was dismissed by efforts from Attorney General Liz Murrill and other representatives.
“After half a century of silence, the United States Department of Justice has dismissed the school desegregation case it filed against the Plaquemines Parish School Board back in 1966,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill. “Members of my solicitor general team recently met with representatives from the DOJ to express my and Governor Landry’s interest in starting to close out all of their remaining desegregation cases in Louisiana.”
The first-term GOP attorney general said the decision shows the recognition of the Plaquemines Parish School Board “operating “one system of schools” with no “effects of past discrimination” — and it has done so voluntarily without the need for court intervention.”
A vote was called April 17 by the school board to request assistance from the state Attorney General’s Office. The case dismissal was deemed historic by Board President Niko Tesvich and Superintendent Dr. Shelley Ritz Board. According to the news release, the dismissal was done voluntarily by the DOJ.
Gov. Jeff Landry thanked the President and many others in his statement.
“Thank you, President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, and their great team at USDOJ for ending this decades-long legal battle,” said Landry.
According to Landry, federal judges have set and imposed unnecessary requirements, costing schools and children millions of dollars. He is working to close other desegregation cases throughout the state as well.
The decision is an important step forward to Murrill when it comes to school boards across the state. She intends to work with other schools in similar cases to “put them in the past.”
“Louisiana got its act together decades ago, and it is past time to acknowledge how far we have come. America is back, and this Department of Justice is making sure the Civil Rights Division is correcting wrongs from the past and working for all Americans,” said Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Civil Rights Division for the United States Department of Justice.
