More Than 50 School Desegregation Cases Dismissed After Decades on Court Dockets

The Justice Department announced Sept. 24 that more than 50 school desegregation cases have been dismissed, ending proceedings that had remained on federal court dockets for more than half a century.

The cases arose from school systems that unlawfully separated students by race. The department said the dismissed matters ranged from Waterbury, Connecticut, to Flagler County, Florida, but its announcement did not provide a complete list of the cases or district-by-district findings.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said continued oversight no longer reflects conditions in the affected classrooms. She argued that districts can redirect money spent complying with old consent decrees toward students. The announcement did not quantify those costs or the expected savings. United States Department of Justice

A desegregation case can be closed when a court determines that a district has achieved unitary status. That generally requires evidence that the district complied with its orders in good faith and eliminated the effects of its former state-imposed segregation to the extent practicable. Ending an order removes that case’s court supervision; it does not remove the district’s continuing obligation to obey civil rights law. United States Department of Justice

The Justice Department said it is reviewing other pending cases individually and will seek dismissal when it concludes a district has met the standard for unitary status. Its announcement did not say how many cases remain under review.