Historic Shift: Justice Department Ends 59-Year School Desegregation Order in Louisiana

Published on May 2, 2025
By Elouanes Soualili 

In a major legal development, the U.S. Department of Justice has lifted a decades-old desegregation order affecting schools in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. First imposed in 1966 during the Civil Rights Movement, this order aimed to dismantle racial segregation in education.

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The original court order was introduced to force public schools to provide equal educational opportunities for Black and white students, addressing racial disparities caused by systemic segregation.

The Justice Department argues that Plaquemines Parish has complied with federal desegregation standards and can now operate independently. School officials say the district has made sufficient progress in balancing racial diversity.

Civil rights advocates express deep concern that the removal of such federal oversight might reverse hard-earned progress.

💬 "We're worried this sets a dangerous precedent," says an NAACP spokesperson. "Other districts may follow suit before real equity is achieved."

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The big fear is that neighborhood-based zoning and socioeconomic divides could once again lead to racially divided schools — even without official policies enforcing it.

📊 A 2024 report from the Brookings Institution found that school resegregation is already rising in areas where desegregation orders were previously lifted.

Education experts warn that ongoing monitoring, community engagement, and funding equity are essential to ensure diverse, inclusive schools remain a priority.

Yes — several federal desegregation orders still in place could soon be reviewed. The Plaquemines Parish case might pave the way for similar legal rollbacks across the South and beyond.

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While some may view the end of this 59-year-old court order as a symbol of progress, others see it as a risky rollback that could unintentionally harm minority students.

One thing is clear: equity in education remains a battle, and this development marks a new chapter in that ongoing story.

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