Opinion ID: 22219
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Proposed New High School Furthers Desegregation

Text: 16 The sole remaining issue then is whether the district court clearly erred in approving the District's proposed site for the new high school on finding that it furthers desegregation. Plaintiffs insist that constructing the new high school in the predominately white Ridgeland area will not further desegregation in the short term and will lead to resegregation in the future. As of April 10, 2000, the District's student population was 61.4% white, 36.7% black, and 1.9% other, of which overallhigh school student enrollment ---- including largely black Velma Jackson High School in Zone I ---- was 60.1% white, 38.1% black, and 1.7% other. The enrollment of Madison Central ---- from which the students of Ridgeland High will be drawn exclusively ---- was 71.8% white, 26.1% black, and 2.1% other. 17 The District asserts that the initial enrollment at new Ridgeland High will be 71.4% white, 24.3% black, and 4.3% other; and that after transfer of those Madison Central students who would attend Ridgeland High, Madison Central's student population would be 72.2% white, 26.7% black, and 1.1% other. Plaintiffs nevertheless oppose building the new school at the Ridgeland site, arguing that the interests of desegregation would be better served by a more centrally located high school, specifically their suggested Hwy. 463 site. Plaintiffs' proposal calls for the construction of a high school that would initially serve approximately 900 students, of whom 67% would be white and 33% black, leaving Madison Central with roughly 1,300 students, of whom 78% would be white and 22% black. 11 18 The District is not required, however, to select school sites that best or even better serve desegregation; only sites that serve desegregation and do not foster resegregation. The constitution does not require school districts to achieve maximum desegregation; that the plan does not result in the most desegregation possible does not mean that the plan is flawed constitutionally. 12 Admittedly, the District's plan may not maximize desegregation or even be the plan among all those available that is best suited for that purpose. With this in mind, we cannot say that the district court committed clear error in finding that locating the new high school in the Ridgeland area would assist in the District's continuing effort to desegregate its schools, much less negatively affect desegregation. 19 Plaintiffs also argue that constructing the new high school at the Ridgeland location will negatively affect desegregation in the future in light of population trends in the County. Specifically, they allege that the City of Ridgeland and the surrounding area will become more white, while the predominately black Flora area ---- which, they contend, will grow substantially ---- becomes more black. As such, insist the Plaintiffs, the student population of Madison Central would become more black while that of Ridgeland High would become more white. The District contests these population projections, asserting that the Flora area will see little growth, either long or short range, as evidenced by the fact that its student population has decreased by some 10% in the last decade. Rather, contends the District, growth will continue to occur in and around the cities of Madison and Ridgeland, both of which are located to the east of I-55; as such, the new high school can best serve the District's needs if located at the site proposed by the District. 20 We recognize yet again that courts are poorly equipped to weigh such population trend projections; fortunately, though, we are not required to do that today. As the claims of both parties appear to be reasonable and rest on legitimate bases, we cannot say that the district court committed clear error in adopting the District's projections over the Plaintiffs' or in finding that construction of the new high school at the Ridgeland site would serve to foster the District's continuing efforts to desegregate the schools of Madison County without negatively affecting desegregation in the future.