Following a federal judge's ruling, Huntsville City Schools (HCS) has been released from federal supervision in two major areas tied to a desegregation consent order.
The Huntsville Board of Education initially filed a motion seeking unitary status in three areas, also known as "green factors." Those areas included faculty and staff, facilities, and extracurricular activities.
On Monday, Chief U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala, appointed by President Barack Obama, found that the system had met the required level of progress to end the federal supervision of faculty and staff, as well as extracurricular activities. HCS was not granted unitary status in the area of facilities, as the Desegregation Advisory Committee is expected to provide feedback before a ruling on the specific green factor.
"The Board has demonstrated its good faith commitment to hiring principals, faculty, and staff in a manner that prevents the schools in the district from being racially identifiable, and the Board appears to be committed to retaining its Black principals, faculty, and staff," Haikala wrote in the decision. "Accordingly, the Board has satisfied the faculty and staff Green factor."
She added, "The Court releases the Board from federal supervision of faculty and staff."
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Haikala said that HCS has ensured public school extracurricular programs are available to all students, regardless of race.
"Having reviewed the information that [HCS] Superintendent Sutton provided in support of the Board's motion, the Court is satisfied that the Board has made significant efforts to eliminate barriers and ensure that students may join the clubs and academic teams available at their schools, and the Board has attempted to provide clubs and academic teams equitably across schools in the district," stated Haikala.
"The Board has demonstrated its commitment to continue to organize and make available to all students in each public school extracurricular programs without regard to race," she continued. "Therefore, the Court releases the Board from federal supervision with respect to the extracurricular activities Green factor."
To be released from federal oversight and granted complete unitary status, Huntsville City Schools will need to meet seven Green Factors. Having already gained unitary status on transportation, HCS will now need to demonstrate required progress in the areas of equitable access to course offerings and programs, student discipline and student assignment.
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