Fact Check: Justice Department ends decades-old school desegregation order in Louisiana.

Fact Check: Justice Department Ends Decades-Old School Desegregation Order in Louisiana

What We Know

On May 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the termination of a long-standing school desegregation order affecting the Plaquemines Parish School Board in Louisiana. This order originated from a lawsuit filed by the federal government in 1966, aimed at desegregating schools in the parish. By 1975, a court determined that the schools had achieved proper integration; however, the case remained open for nearly fifty years due to administrative inaction and a lack of follow-up by the court system (Justice Department Dismisses Half Century Old Louisiana Consent Decree, Justice Department ends school desegregation order in Louisiana | AP News).

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon characterized the continued oversight as a "historical wrong," emphasizing that the local school district should no longer be burdened by outdated federal oversight (Justice Department ends school desegregation order in Louisiana | AP News). The decision reflects a broader initiative by the Trump administration to reevaluate and potentially lift similar desegregation orders across the country, which they view as unnecessary remnants of past segregation issues (Justice Department ends decades-old Louisiana school desegregation ...).

Analysis

The claim that the Justice Department has ended a decades-old school desegregation order in Louisiana is supported by multiple credible sources. The official announcement from the Justice Department confirms the termination of the consent decree, stating that the Plaquemines Parish schools had been integrated since 1975, yet the case remained open due to a lack of action (Justice Department Dismisses Half Century Old Louisiana Consent Decree).

The Associated Press and other news outlets reported on the implications of this decision, noting that it may set a precedent for other similar cases across the United States (Justice Department ends school desegregation order in Louisiana | AP News, Department of Justice ends desegregation order in Louisiana parish). Critics of the decision argue that it undermines the ongoing need for federal oversight in areas where racial inequalities may still exist, while supporters claim it reflects progress in achieving racial integration in schools (Justice Department ends decades-old Louisiana school desegregation ..., DOJ drops decades-old desegregation school case in Louisiana - Axios).

The sources used in this analysis, including official government statements and reputable news organizations, provide a reliable basis for understanding the context and implications of the Justice Department's actions. The framing of the issue by the Trump administration, which has been criticized for its approach to civil rights, should be considered when evaluating the motivations behind this decision (Justice Department ends school desegregation order in Louisiana | AP News, Republicans Push to Put School Desegregation Officially in ...).

Conclusion

The claim that the Justice Department has ended a decades-old school desegregation order in Louisiana is True. The official termination of the consent decree, which had been in place since 1966, aligns with the Justice Department's recent actions to lift similar orders across the country, reflecting a significant shift in federal policy regarding school desegregation.

Fact Check: Justice Department ends decades-old school desegregation order in Louisiana.