Appeals Court makes decision regarding area high schools case

In an appeals court today, the U.S Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals claimed that a case brought forward by a father in Ascension Parish, should be seen as having enough validity to be heard regarding the issue of race.

The case has stated that three area high schools, Dutchtown, St. Amant and East Ascension, have been accused of using race as a factor in feeding students into each school.  The Court of Appeals stated that under federal law, the issue of race cannot be a deciding factor in determining where a child attends public school.

Today's decision reverses that of another, earlier court's decision, and the case is now expected to reach trial stages.

The original case, brought about by Darrin Lewis, originated when his children were placed into East Ascension High School. Lewis' claim was that by his children being placed there, the school would remain a majority black student population. The claim continues that the two other area high schools would remain predominately white.

The school board has not commented at this time.