By Carolyn Roy
Superintendent Dale Skinner says parents and guardians of Cloutierville students will find out next week whether they will return to that school when school starts this month.
The issue is whether U.S. Federal Judge Dee Drell will decide on the school board’s request for unitary status and removal from a federal court order that dictates school attendance.
Should the judge grant unitary status, the 150 students in the City who are bussed to Cloutierville will have the option to attend City schools.
If there is no ruling by the judge, those students will continue to be bussed to Cloutierville.
Skinner said he will send out letters to Cloutierville students Monday, Aug. 7. If there is no word from the judge by Monday, attendance will remain as it was last year.
Skinner said plaintiffs in the desegregation case against the school board are the ones that delayed the judge’s decision by filing objections this summer.
He said those plaintiffs say they want to meet with the board but have missed several opportunities to do so.