Department of Justice Seal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CR

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1999

(202) 353-8584

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888

TUNICA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT SETTLE SCHOOL DESEGREGATION ISSUES

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department and the Tunica County School District in Mississippi today reached an agreement that will resolve desegregation issues related to the construction of a new elementary school in the northern part of the county.

The agreement, which must be approved by the U.S. District Court in Oxford, Mississippi, resolves a long standing dispute between the Justice Department and the school district over the construction of a new school and its implications under a 1970 desegregation order.

"We are pleased that we were able to come to a voluntary resolution of such a complicated and sensitive matter," said Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "Today's agreement serves the interests of all school children in Tunica County and, if properly implemented, likely will further desegregation in the county."

Under existing federal law, school districts under court order in which the federal government is a party are required to notify the Justice Department about any new school construction and seek approval from the court before implementing any changes in student assignment. In 1997, the district developed a plan for new construction and student assignment that included, among other things improvements at existing schools and the construction of a new school in the northern part of the county. The impact the new school would have on desegregation in the district became the focus of concerns within the community. After hearing from community members and state and local officials, the Justice Department engaged in voluntary dispute resolution to reach an agreement that would improve educational opportunities for all students in the county.

As part of the agreement the school district has agreed to abandon its proposed construction site in Robinsonville in favor of a site near Hambrick, which is a predominantly African American subdivision. The school district will also modify attendance zone lines to ensure that the new school includes African American subdivisions and to ensure that the travel times to each of the elementary schools are reasonable.

In addition, the school district, the Tunica County Board of Supervisors, the Mississippi Home Corporation and the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development have agreed to implement a new county-wide affordable housing plan which will offer housing counseling services, such as credit counseling and loan pre-qualifications, along with home buyer seminars and fair housing training. The housing plan will also create incentives for developers to build affordable housing in the county.

"The various groups and agencies that have stepped-up to support this agreement deserve much credit for making these positive measures possible," added Mr. Lee.

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