Nassif receives school plan

• By RICHARD BURGESS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Apr 29, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — The U.S. Justice Department has given its preliminary OK to a plan that calls for the possible closure and consolidation of some schools in St. Landry Parish to resolve a decades-old desegregation case.

The reorganization plan, which remains secret, was developed in the past year by a biracial committee appointed by U.S. District Judge Tucker Melancon.

Justice Department attorneys delivered the plan to Superintendent Michael Nassif at a court hearing Monday.

The judge ordered Nassif not to reveal the details to anyone, including School Board members, until the plan is unveiled at a public meeting.

That could happen as early as Thursday, the next regularly scheduled School Board meeting.

Not even general information about the plan was discussed at the Monday court hearing, other than comments by Melancon that the reorganization calls for the closure and consolidation of some schools.

The plan was developed by the committee, then tweaked by the Justice Department.

The School Board is not obligated to adopt the reorganization plan.

Melancon set a 120-day deadline for the board to either approve the existing plan or develop an alternative to meet desegregation guidelines.

“As long as it’s constitutional, I don’t care,” Melancon told the board.

The judge also warned board members he will reorganize the school system if they cannot agree on a plan.

“The people’s elective representatives are going to do it, or I’m going to do it,” Melancon said.

The judge shot down a request by School Board attorney Gerard Caswell for more time to consider the proposed reorganization plan or craft a new one.