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Fayette County Schools Desegregation Scandal Exposed
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee has finally put an end to the long-standing desegregation case, McFerren v. County Board of Education of Fayette County, after the Board of Education of Fayette County, Tennessee and the NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund agreed to a comprehensive consent order.
The consent order, negotiated with the help of the Justice Department, requires the district to implement a controlled choice program for three of its six elementary schools by the start of the 2014-15 school year to achieve desegregated enrollments. The program aims to desegregate the other elementary schools by closing two of its elementary schools, constructing a new elementary school, revising attendance zone lines and creating a magnet program at the elementary school with the highest percentage of African-American enrollment.
If the magnet program fails to produce a desegregated school after three years, the consent order requires the district to take additional steps. The district has also agreed to provide gifted services at each elementary school, offer additional advanced courses at the high school, and continue certain intra-district student transfers that further desegregation among its schools.
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, Thomas E. Perez, praised the agreement, saying, "The order shows the type of meaningful progress parties can achieve toward ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students if they are willing to be both steadfast and creative."
The enforcement of Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in school districts is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
The long and arduous case has finally come to a close, and it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of equal educational opportunities for all students. The consent order is a significant step forward in ensuring that the children of Fayette County receive the education they deserve, regardless of their background or ethnicity.
The court’s approval of the comprehensive consent order marks a new era for the Fayette County public schools, one where desegregation and equal educational opportunities are paramount. As the district works to implement the order, it is essential that they remain committed to creating a fair and inclusive learning environment for all students.
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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