Opinion ID: 278303
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: exercise of choice

Text: 33 The following provisions shall apply to all grades: 34 (a) WHO MAY EXERCISE CHOICE. A choice of schools may be exercised by a parent or other adult person serving as the student's parent. A student may exercise his own choice if he (1) is exercising a choice for the ninth or a higher grade, or (2) has reached the age of fifteen at the time of the exercise of choice. Such a choice by a student is controlling unless a different choice is exercised for him by his parent or other adult person serving as his parent during the choice period or at such later time as the student exercises a choice. Each reference in this decree to a student's exercising a choice means the exercise of the choice, as appropriate, by a parent or such other adult, or by the student himself. 35 (b) ANNUAL EXERCISE OF CHOICE. All students shall be required to exercise a free choice of schools annually. 36 (c) CHOICE PERIOD. The period for exercising choice shall commence February 1, 1968, and end with the last day of February, 1968, and in subsequent years shall be the entire month of February preceding the school year for which the choice is to be exercised. No student or prospective student who exercises his choice within the choice period shall be given any preference because of the time within the period when such choice was exercised. 37 (d) MANDATORY EXERCISE OF CHOICE. A failure to exercise a choice within the choice period shall not preclude any student from exercising a choice at any time before he commences school for the year with respect to which the choice applies, but such choice may be subordinated to the choices of students who exercised choice before the expiration of the choice period. Any student who has not exercised his choice of school within a week after school opens shall be assigned to the school nearest his home where space is available under standards for determining available space which shall be applied uniformly throughout the system. 38 (e) PUBLIC NOTICE. On or within a week before the date the choice period opens, the defendants shall arrange for the conspicuous publication of a notice describing the provisions of this decree in the newspaper most generally circulated in the community. The text of the notice shall be substantially similar to the text of the explanatory letter sent home to parents. Publication as a legal notice will not be sufficient. Copies of this notice must also be given at that time to all radio and television stations located in the community. Copies of this decree shall be posted in each school in the school system and at the office of the Superintendent of Education. 39 (f) MAILING OR PERSONAL DELIVERY OF EXPLANATORY LETTERS AND CHOICE FORMS. On the first day of the choice period one of two methods may be employed in notifying parents or other adult persons serving as parents, (1) distributing by first class mail an explanatory letter and a choice form to the parent (or other adult person acting as parent, if known to the Board) of each student, together with a return envelope addressed to the Superintendent, or (2) by delivering such explanatory letters and choice forms to the student with adequate procedures to insure the delivery of the notice and the exercise and return of the signed choice form. 40 (g) EXTRA COPIES OF THE EXPLANATORY LETTER AND CHOICE FORM. Extra copies of the explanatory letter and choice form shall be freely available to parents, students, prospective students, and the general public at each school in the system and at the office of the Superintendent of Education during the times of the year when such schools are usually open. 41 (h) CONTENT OF CHOICE FORM. Each choice form shall set forth the name and location and the grades offered at each school and may require of the person exercising the choice the name, address, age of student, school and grade currently or most recently attended by the student, the school chosen, the signature of one parent or other adult person serving as parent, or where appropriate the signature of the student, and the identity of the person signing. No statement of reasons for a particular choice, or any other information, or any witness or other authentication, may be required or requested, without approval of the Court. 42 (i) RETURN OF CHOICE FORM. At the option of the person completing the choice form, the choice may be returned by mail, in person, or by messenger, to, (1) the school the student is then attending, (2) the school chosen by the student, or, if not convenient, then (3) to any other school in the system, or (4) to the office of the Superintendent. 43 (j) CHOICES NOT ON OFFICIAL FORM. The exercise of choice may also be made by the submission in like manner of any other writing which contains the name of the student, his residence and age, the school he is attending, the school chosen, and is signed as heretofore required in this Plan. 44 (k) CHOICE FORMS BINDING. When a choice form has once been submitted and the choice period has expired, the choice is binding for the entire school year and may not be changed except in cases of parents making different choices from their children under the conditions set forth in paragraph II(a) of this decree and in exceptional cases where, absent the consideration of race, a change is educationally called for or where compelling hardship is shown by the student. 45 (l) PREFERENCE IN ASSIGNMENT. In assigning students to schools, no preferences shall be given to any student for prior attendance at a school and, except with the approval of Court in extraordinary circumstances, no choice shall be denied for any reason other than overcrowding. In case of overcrowding at any school, preference shall be given on the basis of the proximity of the school to the homes of the students choosing it, without regard to race or color. Standards for determining overcrowding shall be applied uniformly throughout the system. 46 (m) SECOND CHOICE WHERE FIRST CHOICE IS DENIED. Any student whose choice is denied must be promptly notified in writing and given his choice of any school in his attendance area serving his grade level where space is available. The student shall have seven days from the receipt of notice of a denial of first choice in which to exercise a second choice. 47 (n) TRANSPORTATION. Where transportation is generally provided, buses must be routed to the maximum extent feasible in light of the geographic distribution of students, so as to serve each student choosing any school in the system. Every student choosing either the formerly white or the formerly Negro school nearest his residence must be transported to the school to which he is assigned under these provisions, whether or not it is his first choice, if that school is sufficiently distant from his home to make him eligible for transportation under generally applicable transportation rules. 48 (o) OFFICIALS NOT TO INFLUENCE CHOICE. At no time shall any official, teacher, or employee of the school system influence any parent, or other adult person serving as a parent, or any student, in the exercise of a choice or favor or penalize any person because of a choice made. If the defendant school board employs professional guidance counselors, such persons shall base their guidance and counselling on the individual student's particular personal, academic, and vocational needs. Such guidance and counselling by teachers as well as professional guidance counsellors shall be available to all students without regard to race or color. 49 (p) PROTECTION OF PERSONS EXERCISING CHOICE. Within their authority school officials are responsible for the protection of persons exercising rights under or otherwise affected by this decree. They shall, without delay, take appropriate action with regard to any student or staff member who interferes with the successful operation of the plan. Such interference shall include harassment, intimidation, threats, hostile words or acts, and similar behavior. The school board shall not publish, allow, or cause to be published, the names or addresses of pupils exercising rights or otherwise affected by this decree. If officials of the school system are not able to provide sufficient protection, they shall seek whatever assistance is necessary from other appropriate officials.