Bossier Parish Schools in Louisiana and the federal government have reached an agreement to end 61 years of court-ordered oversight aimed at desegregating the school system. The announcement came Thursday, coinciding with the first day of classes for the district near Shreveport.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced the settlement, characterizing the decades-old consent decrees as expensive, ineffective, and an impediment to local control. "It’s long past time for these old consent decrees to come to an end," Murrill stated on social media, noting that similar mandates for other Louisiana districts are also being addressed.
The Bossier Parish Schools order originated from a lawsuit filed in 1964. The school system noted that the original plaintiffs are deceased and their children could not be located, contributing to the decision to close the case. The district stated that it has collaborated with the Department of Justice for decades, with federal approval required for decisions concerning new school construction, classroom additions, and attendance zone changes.
Under the previous administration, the U.S. Justice Department shifted its approach, framing remaining segregation orders as federal overreach. Louisiana officials have contended that these mandates are no longer necessary, viewing them as remnants of a past era when Black students were excluded from certain schools.
Bossier Schools Superintendent Jason Rowland expressed that the dismissal of the case grants the district autonomy to make decisions beneficial to students, staff, and the community, while acknowledging the historical context of the past 61 years. Rowland also extended gratitude to former board members and employees for their efforts in fulfilling the requirements that led to the termination of federal monitoring.