Court Opinion

ID: 9448533
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 23:38:48.364625+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:28.159685
License: Public Domain

PER CURIAM.
This cause is before the Court on petition for rehearing.
One point raised by the petition is that the Court made an erroneous statement in its opinion, to the effect that Negro children were given scholastic tests not given to white children, in order to be admitted to “white” schools, under the Tennessee Pupil Assignment Law.
This matter arose out of a motion of the appellees to dismiss the appeal supported by an affidavit. In this affidavit it was alleged that the schools of Memphis were desegregated by the admission of thirteen Negro students to “white” schools. The affidavit did not specify what criteria were applied in order to allow these admissions.
This motion and affidavit tended to change the character of and add to the issues presented on the appeal without an adequate opportunity for a hearing. There was no denial that thirteen students had been thus transferred and there was nothing in the affidavit to be traversed by counter-affidavit. This Court cannot accept the conclusion of the appellees that these transfers under the Tennessee Pupil Assignment Law constituted desegregation.
Upon inquiry in oral argument, the Court understood that scholastic tests were given to the Negro students and not to the white students of the same schools. The necessity for this inquiry arose by reason of the interjection of the motion into the record, as heretofore stated.
The Court does not wish to make an incorrect statement of fact and will amend its opinion, in respect to the claimed error, if it is shown to be an error. For this purpose, the Court will permit the parties to submit affidavits upon the sole question of how scholastic tests were applied and to whom, in connection with the transfers.
The Court in its opinion concluded that the Pupil Assignment Law, while not unconstitutional on its face and while it may serve some function in proper school administration, it cannot serve as a vehicle for desegregation. Other points raised by the petition for rehearing have been previously considered and found to be without merit.
The petition for rehearing will be denied.