Reagan T. Fondren Acting United States Attorney for the Western District Of Tennessee | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has announced the closure of a desegregation case involving Dyersburg City Schools in Tennessee, ending federal oversight that began sixty years ago. The case originated in 1966 when the United States filed a complaint against the Dyersburg Board of Education for maintaining racially segregated public schools, which was found to violate both the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Following court approval of a desegregation plan, the Justice Department monitored compliance for six decades. A recent review by the Civil Rights Division concluded that Dyersburg City Schools no longer operates as a segregated system and has removed all remaining elements of past de jure segregation. On February 11, the court determined that the district had achieved unitary status, and on February 12, it dismissed the case with prejudice.
“Compliance means closure. When school districts comply in good faith with court orders to eliminate the vestiges of past discrimination, the federal government has no legitimate reason to continue monitoring,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After sixty years of federal control, it’s time for Dyersburg City Schools to redirect the time, energy, and taxpayer dollars spent on reporting requirements to directly improving education in the community.”
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee added: “I am pleased to join in this long overdue dismissal, and I commend the Dyersburg City Schools for their diligent compliance and achievement of unitary status. The long-standing good faith efforts of the school district have demonstrated decades of improvement, and local control is best suited to continue to address the best interests of students, parents, and faculty and staff.”
The Justice Department stated that questions regarding this matter can be directed to its Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.
