Stop the Madness

It is oft repeated as conventional wisdom that nothing may be done about the Little Rock School District until we “get out of federal court.” But what if “being in federal court” is unrelated to issues of unitary status, which Little Rock has achieved, but is a choice perpetuated by the district itself, upon the advice of its third party, $870,000 per year attorneys?

In the May 15, 2013 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Cynthia Howell reports that: “The Little Rock School District is asking a federal appeals court to reverse a lower court decision that cleared the state of violating a 1989 desegregation agreement when it approved the establishment of nearly a dozen independently run, publicly funded charter schools in Pulaski County.”

Understand, charter schools didn’t exist in Arkansas in 1989. The LRSD’s argument is akin to CDs suing digital streaming/download for unfair competition. Damn the most innovative, efficient and effective delivery of what consumers want. The protectionists of business as usual are continuing their presence in federal court in defense of 1989 means – magnet schools and Majority to Minority transfers – over ends – true desegregation results.

According to LRSD.org,

M to M (Majority to Minority) is an interdistrict transfer between students in the Little Rock School District and the Pulaski County Special School District. This transfer option was developed under a Federal Desegregation Court Order and the races were defined as Black and Non-black. Students in the majority race in their home district may request to transfer to a district and school where their race is in the minority. The “receiving” district will determine if seats are available and notify parents in writing if the transfer is approved. Applications must be completed in the “home” or resident district. Transportation is provided by the resident district.

Protectionist traditionalists typically argue against charters saying they have an unfair advantage because it requires a “motivated” parent/guardian to make the single application, leaving, I suppose, “unmotivated” parents/guardians’ children in the traditional system. Wouldn’t the same theory hold true for those who apply for Majority to Minority transfer? By the LRSD’s own definition, we are transferring our “higher performing” African-American students (849 in 2012-13) to the Pulaski County Special School District. 

Thirty-one years ago, when Little Rock initiated its lawsuit against the North Little Rock (NLRSD) and Pulaski County Special School Districts (PCSSD), the percentage difference between black minority and white majority students in PCSSD was 56 points. In 2010, it was 5. With this trend, very soon M to M will no longer be available to African-American parents/guardians, leaving only Magnet Schools as a choice option.

Again, according to LRSD.org,

Magnet schools – schools with a themed program designed to attract students from throughout the central Arkansas area – were introduced in the LRSD during the 1987-88 school year. The six original, or stipulation magnet schools, are “shared” by the three public school districts in Pulaski County – the LRSD, the Pulaski County Special School District and the North Little Rock School District. Although all of these schools are located in the LRSD, seats at these schools are allocated to each district and parents should apply for their child to participate by completing paperwork in their resident district. The stipulation magnet schools are:

  • Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
  • Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School
  • Booker Arts and Science Magnet Middle School
  • Carver Math and Science Magnet Elementary School
  • Gibbs Magnet Elementary School of Foreign Language and International Studies
  • Williams Traditional Magnet Elementary School

Magnets were designed to be 50/50 black and white (i.e. desegregated). However, for the 2012-13 school year, of the 3,428 students in LRSD stipulation magnets, there were:

  • 974 White (28%)
  • 1,949 Black (57%)
  • 505 Other (15%)

The percentage of white students in magnets is only 8 points more than the white enrollment in the entire district. Meanwhile, the demographic most denied entry into magnets? African-Americans – by the hundreds.

By definition, independent public charter schools are open enrollment. In other words, anybody may attend. Therefore, by lottery, open enrollment charters typically reflect the demographics of their respective communities.

So, the LRSD wants the Court to impose a “weighted lottery system to increase the percentages of black students at what the attorneys called ‘magnet’ charter schools that feature special academic programs and are drawing white students and more affluent students away from the traditional school districts.”

Read that again. The LRSD’s attorneys are asking the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to segregate Pulaski County’s open enrollment public charter schools. Instead of truly reflecting the demographics of our City (42% Black, 47% White, 11% Other), the LRSD wants charters to match its own increasingly skewed demographics (67% Black, 20% White, 13% Other).

Look out North Little Rock School District. As you embark on your $265.6 million capital improvement plan, reducing your campuses from 21 to 13, better save some for legal defense, as you very likely will be sued again by the LRSD, this time for interfering with its magnets and M to M transfers.

Smarter minds than mine have to remind me that this issue is not about desegregation results. Even after $1.2 billion, the numbers prove desegregation has failed. Rather, this is about whether or not the District and State are doing what the Court directed in 1989.

If it were truly about desegregation, the District would have addressed the biggest exodus of from the District, between the fifth and sixth grades. Between 2010 and 2011, 180 graduating fifth graders left the district. In 2012, it was 324. That means, the LRSD lost 504 students in two years just between fifth and sixth grades. That’s two percent of its entire student body. For the same period, overall District enrollment dropped – surprise – 588 students.

This madness has to stop. It’s time that the Mayor, City Board, County Judge, Quorum Court, the county’s State Senators and Representatives, and Second District Congressman join with the business community, parents, citizens and property taxpayers and insist that LRSD end its appeals and interventions in federal court.

No member of this board was serving when Little Rock initiated this lawsuit. No member of this board was serving when it initially contracted with its third party attorneys. No member of this board was serving when the Little Rock, Pulaski County Special, and North Little Rock School Districts, Joshua Intervenors, and State of Arkansas entered into the failed 1989 settlement agreement.

31 years and $1.2 billion later, this board must give our new superintendent all the tools necessary to successfully compete, not in court, but in the classroom. That means on July 1st, Dr. Suggs must be empowered to execute the policies of the board to ensure students first excellence, and not be hamstrung by the counsel and decisions of attorneys, past and present.

The individual and collective economic development of our students, families, community, region and state depend on it.

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