Today in US District Court in Memphis the attorneys for all parties involved in the Unitary Status lawsuit of the NAACP, Dept of Justice Madison County, and the Jackson Madison County School Board appeared before Judge Samuel Mays. The purpose of today's hearing was to determine what progress had been achieved in student assignment. Student assignment is the last issue remaining in the lawsuit.
Today NAACP atty Richard Fields agreed on behalf of his client to drop opposition to the proposed option C. Fields also agreed to take the Asbestos issues out of this suit with the understand he was free to file a separate lawsuit on that issue . Richard Fields asked that the JMCS board free up 60 Thousand dollar payment for attorney fees and Fields agreed to have the remaining fees resolved by the Judge.
The Department of Justice still must approve the option C plan and the Judge must sign off before the rezoning plan can take affect.
Judge Mays set a date of September 20th to hold a hearing on the issue of whether the JMCS Board had achieved or could achieve racial balance in the area of student assignment. Before then attorneys will beginning depositions and other pre-hearing actions.
