Commissioners seek to block August municipal school district referendum

The Commercial Appeal ^ | 6/26/12 | Clay Bailey, Daniel Connolly,Michael Kelley

[ebshumidors]

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners filed a petition in federal court Tuesday to block Aug. 2 elections that could create six new suburban school districts, arguing that those who sought the elections are deliberately discriminating against black residents.

The lawsuit alleges that "race was a motivating factor behind the enactment of the Shelby County Municipal School Acts and that such Acts are purposefully discriminatory." The filing is the latest step in a dispute over the proposed merger of the area's two largest school systems, the majority-black Memphis City Schools and the smaller, majority-white Shelby County Schools. The systems are scheduled to merge in the fall of 2013.

In the complaint filed Tuesday, the county commissioners argue that if Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington create their own school districts, they will be majority white.

The suit criticizes the legislature's passage of House Bill 1105, a measure that authorizes the suburbs to hold referendums and school board elections this year. It argues that the bill "can only be explained as an attempt to guarantee that Cauca

sian suburban children would never have to attend a school in the predominantly African-American Unified Shelby County School system – even for one year."

Commissioner Walter Bailey says the commissioners are arguing under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, among other things.

[ebshumidors]

My wife is very involved in this. I told her it is just a matter of time until the race card is thrown. Memphis City Schools gave up their charter because they failed. They figured that if they gave up their charter, they would get control over the county board and the suburban money.

[Gene Eric]

>> elections that could create six new suburban school districts,

Life as I understand it will always find a way to survive and thrive.

[pepsionice]

The Memphis City school system....as I understand it...is financially unstable and unable to continue at the current pace. The only path is to consume the county system. If it were to continue...I’d make a guess that within ten years...most county schools that exist today would be dissolved and without any students. A host of private school schools would appear and take over their business. Within a decade, the Memphis city and county system would have to approach the state and beg for more funding because they’ve consumed everything within their reach.

If you were to write a book on how to gear a school system for failure....the Memphis folks could be the experts.

[John O]

In the complaint filed Tuesday, the county commissioners argue that if Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington create their own school districts, they will be majority white.

If Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington are majority white, then why shouldn't their schools be majority white?

Don't these idiots realize that if they destroy the schools in the suburbs that the people will simply move to other white majority areas? We don't want their urban ghetto culture and don't want our kids exposed to it.

Why don't they try integrating into American midddle class culture (You know, work for a living etc) and obeying the laws and then maybe we can talk.

[GailA]

Good for her. They will not be happy until the failing ultra liberal leaders of Memphis control the entire county school system and ruin it like they ruined Memphis’ school system! I didn’t think that king willie could be beat in ruining the schools, but this kriner cash is even worse.

[GailA]

If it goes through busing will follow, you know that. Have to make the schools ‘equal’ after all...since the majority of the outer lying county schoold are white.