Tucson district: End court supervision in desegregation case

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Tucson's largest school district wants to free itself of court supervision in a 4-decade-old desegregation case, one that results in a spending boost of over $60 million a year.

Schools in Tucson Unified School District haven't been segregated for decades and court approval of the request for so-called unitary status would save money now being spent on legal fees and administration but still keep dollars flowing for related programs for students, district officials said.

“This is not a segregated district,” Superintendent Gabrial Trujillo said. “You have 50% of the students in this district that are either in a fully integrated school or in a highly diverse school.”

However, a representative for the plaintiffs in the court case said TUSD has not complied with all of the desegregation court order. There is a continued racial disparity in student discipline and the district hasn’t properly implemented a plan specific to services for Mexican American students, said Sylvia Campoy.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that TUSD officials expect a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge by August on the request filed Dec. 31.

Trujillo said 30 of the district’s 86 schools are fully integrated, although a racial achievement gap still exists, which is true throughout the state. However, TUSD doesn’t need a court order to “take the achievement gap seriously,” he said.

“This is no longer a desegregation case,” he said. “This is an academic achievement case.”

Under the federal court order, however, TUSD is required to focus on more than racial integration. The case calls for addressing not only quality of education, but student discipline disparities, facilities and technology, transportation and community engagement, among other issues.

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