A lawsuit alleging a school district in a small Mississippi Delta town discriminated against a Black student and stripped her of an academic award has been dismissed by a panel of federal judges.
Olecia James filed the federal lawsuit in 2019 against the Cleveland School District, claiming officials prevented her from becoming class salutatorian because they “feared white flight,” according to theAhead of James’ senior year, her historically Black high school was merged with a historically white school to comply with a longstandingMerging the two high schools reshuffled class rankings, and James ended up third.
Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan wrote that the consolidated high schools both failed, at times, to follow the district handbook when awarding course credit and quality points for the preceding three years. Two weeks before graduation, James found out that school officials lowered her ranking by reducing the points she earned from the courses she took while she was enrolled at East Side High, the lawsuit said.
Duncan wrote that a federal district court had “correctly dismissed her claims” when it found no constitutional violation, saying James did not produce evidence that she was deprived of due process or that the school district had discriminated against her.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mississippi Delta loses its only neonatal intensive care unitA Greenville hospital closed its neonatal intensive care unit in July after the unit reported losses of $1 million a year. Now, there is no longer a NICU in the Mississippi Delta.
Read more »
Thompson, Wicker to host listening session on Delta floodingSen. Roger Wicker and Rep. Bennie Thompson are hosting federal agency officials at a community event in Rolling Fork to gauge public sentiment on solutions for the area's regular flooding.
Read more »
CU Boulder fraternity installs ramp at house to create more inclusivity, accessibility for membersThanks to a ramp donated by the Home Builders Foundation, Jake Levin, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, was able to enter the house for the first time without any assistance from his brothers.
Read more »
Homeowning while Black: Couple alleges bias in appraisal - New York Amsterdam NewsHow much does it pay to hide the photos of your family at your home, or anything else that shows your race? If you’re Black and trying to find out how much your house is worth, one family suggests it could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Read more »
What to watch: Top Democrats square off in New York - New York Amsterdam NewsTuesday’s primary elections feature two top Florida Democrats squaring off for the chance to face Republican Gov. GovRonDeSantis, a rising conservative star frequently mentioned as a top alternative to Donald Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential contest.
Read more »
Rapper Fetty Wap pleads guilty to federal drug charges in New YorkRapper Fetty Wap has pleaded guilty in a New York federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances. He now faces a five-year mandatory minimum sentence and remains in custody after his bond was revoked earlier this month.
Read more »