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Leake County schools in Mississippi released from decades-long desegregation order
The district met court standards for racial balance after years of monitoring and school consolidations, officials said.
- On Monday, the Leake County School District announced that U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Jordan dissolved the 1969 federal desegregation order on September 3, ending decades of federal oversight.
- The Justice Department monitored the district after a 1963 lawsuit by Black parents, closing two schools in 2011 to address racial division; the district then consolidated high schools this year due to a 19% enrollment decline since 2015-16.
- Leake County is the third Mississippi district released from such oversight in two years; 27 districts remain under desegregation orders. Under President Donald Trump, the Justice Department has shown increasing willingness to release school districts from these orders.
- Superintendent Will Russell called the dissolution positive and said it provides flexibility, while former superintendent Monte Ladner agreed the district had little choice but to comply historically and now welcomes the change.
- Russell expressed confidence the district will maintain progress without federal oversight, stating, "We're in a good place to keep it going and make sure we're equitable across the board with student achievement.
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Mississippi Today+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Leake County schools released from decades-long desegregation order
Will Russell, superintendent of Leake County School District, speaks during a meeting of the House Select Committee on Consolidation at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.
Leake County School District released from desegregation order - Mississippi Monitor
By Jeremy Pittari, Magnolia Tribune After more than five decades, the Leake County School District in Mississippi has been released from a court desegregation order. This is the second district to be released from a desegregation order this year in Mississippi, with Rankin County School District receiving a similar decision back in July. […]
·Mississippi, United States
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Total News Sources27
Leaning Left6Leaning Right2Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution68% Center
Bias Distribution
- 68% of the sources are Center
68% Center
L 24%
C 68%
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