Desegregation Plan and Report for Canton Municipal Separate School System

    A DESEGREGATION PLAN FOR THE 

CANTON MUNICIPAL SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICI 

: 
p Ty ? wr i 

A PPENDIX 8  



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 

REGIONAL OFFICE 

Room 404 - 50 Seventh Street, N.E. 

Atlanta, Georgia 30323 
OFFICE OF EDUCATION 

Dr. Lamar Fortenberry, 

Canton Municipal Scparate 

Canton, Mississippi 

Dear Dr. 

In accordance with the July 5, 1969 order of 

District Court for the Southern District of 

following desegregation plan Hr cnding the 

in the Canton Mu Separate School Distr 

for your consid 

We wish to express our appreciatioen for the cooperation received 
3 of 4 x 

from you and your staff. 

Sincerely yours, 

/ 4 Vv 
J&sse J. Jordan 
Senior Program Officer 

Equal Educational Opportun 

 



A DESEGREGATICN PLAN FOR THE 

CANTON MUNICIPAL SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT 

A PORT TO THE RE 

SUPERINTENDENT 

BY THE 

DIVISION OF EQUAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES 

UNITED STATES OFFICE OF EDUCATION 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30323  



  

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Enrollment and Building Information | 

Recommended Plan for Student Dasegregation 2-4 

Transportation SY
 

School Construction and Site Selection & 

Cn
 Majority to Minority Transfer Polley 

a , : 7 ih avi i: © Attendance Outside Svstem of Residence o 

Suggesticas for Plan Implementation 1 Cl 

Building Information Forms / 5 a9 

 



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School Name of     

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CANTON PUBLIC SCHOOL 

11. 

RECOMMENDED PLAN FOR DESEGREGATION 

Recommendations, 1969-70 

In order to bring about a unitary school system in which schools 

are not identifiable by race, the following recommendations to 

be effective for the 1969-70 school year are submitted: 

Student assignment recommendations are approximate because the 

Canton Public School System did not have a pupil locator map. 

School capacities are based on figures supplied by the District 

and checked by multiplying the number of standard classrooms by be 32 

€0 for secondary and elementary schools. 

  

serve all pupils in grades 8-12. 

That Canton Higi +O ecome a center for grade 7. 

That Nichols Elementary Sc erve all pupils in grades 

4-6. 

That Cznton Elementary School be used to house grades 1-3. 

Canton Elementary School zone wv draw its pupils from the 

southeast and southwest quadrantsof the city and County and 

from the northeast quadran 12 County. 

That McNeal Elementary School be used to house grades 1-3. 
~e 

McNeal Elementary School zone will draw its pupils from the 

northeast and northwest quadrantSof the city and northwest 

quadrant of the County. 

CURRENT TRANSPORTATION PCLICIES: 
    

Statistics furnished by the Canton Public Schools Superintendent's 

office indicate that one school (Nichols Elementary) receives as many 

as 49.7% of its students by buses. The lowest percentage reported 

in this system was 14.7%. The school system average is 26.6%  



INFORMATION FORM 

ProdieTiy J249-7C Da: E 

Comments 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Students 

N 

Capacity 

Perm. 

 
 

 
 

   
 

 
 

  

| Grades 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

    
 
     

      
 
 

School Name of 

    

Ko     CANTON He, 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

                        
 



POSSIBLE INTERIM STEPS 

The plan that we have prepared and that we recommend to the Court 

provides for complete disestablishment of the dual school system in 

this District at the beginning of the 1969-70 school year. Because 

of the number of children and schools in this district, and because 

of the proximity of the scheduled opening of the school year, imple- 

reba ion of our recommended plan may require delay in that scheduled 

opening. Should the Court decide to defer complete desegregation 

of this school district beyond the opening of the coming school 

term, the following steps could, in our judgment, be taken this 

fall to accomplish partial desegregation of the school system without 
$ 3 , or with very minimal delay, in the scheduled opening of the 

    

STUDENT DESEGREGATION: 

1. That Canton High School serve all pupils in grades 7-12 as 

during the 1968- 69 session. 

That Rogers High School serve all pupils in grades 7-12 as 

during the 1968-69 session. 

That Nichols Elementary School serve a A n the district 

in grades 4-6. 

That Canton Fle ementary be used to house grades 1-3. 

ol zone will draw its pupils from the 

t quadrants of the City and County, and 

d 

Canton Elementary scho 

southeast and southwes 

from the northeast quadrant of the County. 

That McNeal Elementary School be used to house grades 1-3. 

McNeal Elementary school zone will draw its pupils from the 

northeast and northwest quadrants of the City and the north- 

est quadrant of the County. 

  

EGATION OF FACULTY AND OTHER STAFF: 

egregation of faculty and other staff in the grades affected 

by the possible interim assignments of students above, and district- 

wide desegregation of faculty end other staff in each school to at 

least 50% of the recommendation contained in Part I of Section III 

of this plan.  



OTHER: 
Implementation of Sections IV, V, VI, and VII contained in this plan. 

 



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iit. 

DESEGREGATION OF FACULTY AND OTHER STAFF 
  

The School Board shall announce and implement the following policies: 

1. The principals, teachers, teacher-aides and other staff who work 

directly with children at a school shall be so assigned for the school 

year 1969-70 and subsequent years that in no case will the racial com- 
position of a staff Srtoars that a school is intended for Negro students 

or white students. For the 1969-70 school year the district shall assign 

the staff described above so that the ratio of Negro to white teachers in 

each school, and the ratio of other staff in each, are substantially the 

same as each such ratio is to the teachers and other staff, respectively, 

in the entire school system, 

The school district shall, to the extent necessary to carry out this desegre- 
’ Y y Cy 

gation plan, direct members of its staff as a condition of continued employ- 

ment to accept new assignments, 

2. Staff members who work directly with children, and professional staff’ 

who work on the administrative level will be hired, assigned, promoted, paid, 

demoted, dismissed, and otherwise treated without regard to race, color, or 

national origin, except to the extent necessary to correct discrimination. 

3, If there is to be a reductio the number of principals, teachers, 

teacher-aides, or other professional stall employed by the school district 

which will result in a dismissal or dem f any such staff members, thc 

staff member to be dismissed or demoted must b selected on the basis of 

objective and reasonable non-discrimin Ss from among all the staff 

of the school district, In addition if there such dismissal or demotion 

no staff vacancy may be fjlled through recruitment of a person of a race, 

color, or national origin different from that of the individual dismissed or 

demoted, until each displaced staff member who is qualified has had an oppor- 

tunity to fill the vacancy and has failed to accept an offer to do so. 

Prior to such a reduction, the school board will develop or require the develop 

ment of non-racial objective criteria to be used in selecting the staff member 

who is to be dismissed or demoted. These criteria shall be available for 

public inspection and shall be retained by the school district. The school 

district also shall record and preserve the evaluation of staff members under 

the criteria. Such evaluation shall be made available upon request to the 

dismissed or demoted employee. 

"Demotion'" as used above includes any reassignment (1) ander which the 

staff member receives less pay or has less responsibility than under the assign 

ment he held previously, (2) which requires a lesser degree of skill than did 

the assignment he held previously, or (3) under which the staff member is asked 
to teach a subject or grade other than one for which he is certified or for 

which he has had substantial experience within a reasonably current period. 

In gencral and depending upon the subject matter involved, five ycars is such 

a reasonable period.  



IV. 

TRANSPORTATION   

The transportation system shall be completely re-examined regularly by 

the superintendent, his staff, and the school board. Bus routes and the 

assignment of students to buses will be designed to insure the transpor- 

tation of all eligible pupils on a non-segregated and otherwise non- 

discriminatory basis. 

Y. 

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 
  

The size and location of new schocl buildings and additions to existing 

buildings can significantly affect desegregation now and in the future. 

All school construction, school consolidation, and site selection (including 

the location of any temporary classrooms) in this system shall be done in a 

manner which will prevent the recurrifnce of the dual school structure once 

this desegregation plan is implemented. 

44 4 

MAJORITY TO MINORITY TRANSFER POLICY 
  

Whenever there shall exist schools containing a majority of Negro students, 

this school district shall permit a student (Negro or white) attending a 

school in which his race is in the majority to choose to attend another 

school where space is available, and where his race is in a minority. 

 



  

ATTENDANCE OUTSIDE SYSTEM OF RESIDENCE 
    

1f the School Dist: rg “8 tran 2's to students living 
in the distric ir ¢ ndar t public schools outside 
the district, o: i > permits rs into the district of 
students who -s id« 5 it shall do so on a 
non-dizcriminat a8] xcept the t shall not consent to 
transfers Tain ‘ umn le 'e eltect will reduce desegregation 
in either 4 reinforce tl al school system, 

 



IMPLEMENTATION 
  

      

Successful implementa regation plans largely depends upon local 

leadership and good f hi sian with mandates of the Courts and the 

laws upon which the Courts a he following suggestions are offered to 
~ 

assist local officia planning for implementation of desegregation orders. 

Community 

1... The Supepintendens and Board of Education should frankly and fully 

inform all cit f the commurlity about the legal requirements 

for school dase gregation and their plans for complying with these 

legal analy 

The Board of Education should issu public statement clearly 

setting forth its intention to abide by the law and comply with 

orders of the Court in an effective and educationally responsible 
Ld 

School officials should seek and encourage support and understanding 9 

of the press and community ory sanizations represent ting both races. 

The Board uc me other appropr governmental unit, 

should ecstablisi ; al ymmittec Ye! e the Board 

of Education ax 8 staf Phat 

should seek open up community 

and] ng and tans Fastions to assist the Board in interpreting 

and educational requirements to the public. 

The Superintendent should actively seek greater involvement of parents 

of both races through school meetings, newsletters, an active and bi- 

racial P.T.A., class meetings, parent conferences, and through home 

visits by school personnel. 

6, The Superintendent and Board of Education should regularly report 

the community on progress in implementing the desegregation plan. 

School Perscnnel 
  

1. The Superintendent should pr -ovide all personnel copies of the 

desegregation plan and arrange for meetings where the personnel 

will have an opportunity to hear it explained. ; 

The Board of Education should issue a policy statement setting forth 

in clear terms the procedures it will follow in reassignment of the 

personnel (see section on Desegregation of Staff).  



Assignments of staff for the school year should be made as 

quickly as possible with appropriate followings by school 

principals to assure both welcome and support for personnel 

new to each school. Invitations to visit school before the 

new school year begins should be offered. 

The Superintendent should see that a special orientation 

program is planned and carried out for both the professional 

and non-professional staffs (including bus drivers, cafeteria 

workers, secretaries and custodians) preparatory to the new 

school year. le should make every effort to familiarize new 

and reassigned staff with facilities, services, and building 

policies, and prepare them to carry out their important role 

in a constructive manner. The Superintendent should direct 

each principal to see that each teacher new to a school is 

assigned for help and guidance to a teacher previously assigned 

to that school. Each such pair of teachers should have an oppor- 

tunity to meet before the school year actually begins. 

The Superintendent should arrange an in-service training program * 

during the school year to a: n in resolving dif¥iculties 

and improving instruction implementation period. 

Help in doing this is available from the South Mississippi In- 

Service Consulting Center at Hattiesburg, Mississippi. & Er Pl 

It is important that, through personal observations, students see 

that nonprofessional service positions in their schools are not for 

members of one race and that harmonious working relationships can 

exist between members of both races. The Superintend:nt and Board 

of Education should therefore take all necessary steps to assure 

that all staffs are bi-racial. 

 



Instructional Program 
  

Each principal should be required to appoint biracial faculty 

committees to study and, as necessary, revise each area of the 

curriculum to assure better learning opportunities for all stu- 

dents. This should become a continuous activity in each school 

and throughout the district. 

Student evaluation policies and procedures should be reviewed 

-continuously for areas in need cof improvement and adjustment to 

encourage the educational growth and motivation of students. 

Remedial programs in reading and mathemat Souls as appro- 

priate, should be introduced and/or Pu : r all students 

in need of special help. Such a program supplement reg- 

ular course offerings and assignments of students. 

Grouping procedures should be reviewed and Feviged as necessary 

to assure they support the spirit as well as letter of desegre- 

gation plan the district has accepted Se tiiiy for rh ll 

menting in good faith 

ctivities by students of 

: by administrators and 

teachers f : ing clon! spirit and a feeling 

of Teng 

dent government, cheerleaders, musi- 

c¢ teams-must be operated on a nondis- 
" 
FS 

School organizations - st 

cal organizations, athlet 

criminitory basis and should include students of both races. 

Guidance counselors should be oriented and urged to plan a 

leading role in successful implementation of the desegregation 

plan. 

The curriculum should be reviewed and, as necessary, revised 

to provide recognition of Negro history, culture and conbtri- 

butions to our society. Library books which deal with such 

subjects should be added to school book collections. 

Vocational education offerings should be reviewed and improved 

as a means of providing students of both races with education 

relevant to vocational interests and as a means of reducing 

dropouts.  



Headstart or similar preschool programs for children of both 

races should be implemented. 

Use of Federal and Staten education funds should be planned 

comprehensively for maximum educational benefit to all eligible 

children, 

STUDENTS 

1. The Superintendent should direct each principal to hold special 

orientation programs welcoming students who will be new to a 

school, before the regular school year begins. 

The Superintendent should require each principal to see that 

students are frankly and fully informed about the desegregation 

plan and their responsibilities to help carry it out. Each 

De nainel should seek to establish rapport and communication 

links with new students to encourage mutual understanding and 

confidence. 

The Superintendent should direct each princip 

relations committee 

cessful implementation 

1 staff and membe of the student body 

fort to assure the full participation of 

-curricular programs, includ ~~ 
x 

: LR 
1 ion of a “late bus’ for thos 

of path races in ext 

appropriate the provisi 

after school to partici ipate *n such programs. 

Each principal should request teachers to make themselves 

available to students outside of regular class for counseling 

and extra instructional help 

 



  

1x, 

- : TRONS WOD ACO KESOURCES FOR ASS    
  

dition to the regular reseources for assistance 
r 
AY ficlaels, discrlcets developing Ne Leap 

Univeratty of Sourhern Mississippi 

Southern Scation 

Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401 

Phones (601) 266-7150 

Division of Equal ¥ducavionul Opporrunicl 

B, 8, °Dffice of Faucuation 

0 Suventh Sceeer, Bei ¥u sr oom S05 

Atlunce, Georgia 30323 

Phones (04) 5256-3070 

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carrying out plang of desegregation in slzsippi 

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BUILDING TFORMATIOCH 

  

  
  ame of School Canton High School 

  Address 320 North Liberty Can 
— A 

_Fdwor           

  

ated Capaci 
    

4 

Portable and Temporary Clas       

  
  

Sa ET WT TF 
    

Current Student Enrollment Sen p 2 22 EE 
tal 

Fnrolinent 
    

      

2 
A, ; ~ TI 

; 

Muzber of Teachers 3 A aoe 
Hh < to aed ud & To ral "3 

ER % PN 

  
  

  

      Cther Pro sions eroonnel AMA sl erm rem rman 

: Totas 

2% Ee 
L$ % t & 

ol ohn oe a ee 

¥ 
4 

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Lalo 
Numbey of Students Tra neported 

    
    

  Age of Building 924 1937 Type of Construction 

  
  

  

Number Portable Classrooms : 0   

  
    

Number of Temporary Classrooms 0   

    

  

. . . : (0 . 7 
Number Square Feet in Building 58,489 square feat ro i STANEK 

    

  

Number of Acres in School Site 173 
      

list of the subjects or courses  



BUILDING JANES; Ort ATION 

    
  

Name of School Centon Elementary 

Address__ _   
  

    

Name of Princ 
  
  

  

    

  Grades in Schoo 

Masimon Building Capacit     Pha Na... 

NV thout LI
 ) 

  

    

Portable xii 
  

    

      
  

Coogan.’ pr & © y - fe 

Cuzrent SeuGen. If nrolls Helly 
  

E \¥: nrollm 10Gz 5 1 
a ————— NE ST WE I. ETM AEE ro LA manne ahd   

  

i ’ TY EC ANG wn SO PJ EAA yo 0 IE PG 

Ta $Y ou #5 
mi te negro 

    

il wil NAS JJ NS BE 

| 
v 

1 
, re dos AL DI IT A TT AAAS das a 

| 
ls7 ne | 107 89 in | 
a ia 

areas ba ann SS AB TIA AA amr) Rs —— aan 

  
  

  
        

                

Number of Students Transported 140       
  
  

  

    

Ar I ts” SNR TT SORE 

Age of Dt ng 1958. 1940 Type of Construction 
ude Audit Fors t NEI ZAC S—— 

  
  

    

  

  
  

Number of Portable Cinssrooms     
  

      

Number of Temporary Class               

Number of Square Feet in Building   

    
  

  

Number of Acres in School Site   

JL A m pd J Ae wild - wey} he. - > a " ne. 

Attach a list of the subjects oi courses offere 

. Cr [3 3 os Ji 

Same basic courses are offered at cach elementary school, inciudin wt and Special Educatbic  



BUILDING INFORMATION 

Name of Scheel MaNeca! Elemanian 
  
  

  

  

  Address 0A Owens Strood Canton, bissiszinnd 
LAT, 3 8. nan £ 4 

    

  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  

\{ (0) £ Pip ow $s Number of Teachers   
  

  

  PARLIN, gram me AIS 

tihice 

Cther Profess   

  

| 8 \ 
oe sr — 

Br aaa LL = 

94 

  

                            

    

  
  Type of Construction 

        

Number Portable Classroom 0   

  

Number Temporary Classrooms 0 
    

Number uvare Feet in Puilding 19,164 square fect 
  

Number of Acres in School Site 5 
      

Attach a list he subjects or courses offered. 

Same basic courses are offered at each elementary school, including Art and Special Education  



BUILDING INFORMATION 

Name of 1018 Flameniary Schoel 
        

Address .....10 a Sirect. Conton,.Mississipnl. 
  

  

Gace [a Horris 
or i) da 
    

TI morn fo 
SEYIGANCIL 

  

I 

cima Building Capacity 1225 
(without portables) 
    

  

      
    

                

3 A POT JON 

“Hegr 0 Total 
~ 

  Current Student Eavrollment 1 SRA 1s 82 

Total Stu 
          

RE AEN A I A A 
      

Number of 1eYS : 5 > 
i FA 7 BAT SIA CITED 

Neer ero 

  

Other Professionsl Personnel ” 
JREERp—————— LLL

 CL a 

shite Negro 
TAAL AFA AT AWA PASI SE 

194 0 i070 | 
    

    0%       

        

      
  

  

Number of Students Transpo 
  
  
    

  
      

Age of Building _1930,_Type of Construction 

1937, Ti 1969 

    

  

  

    

  

  
  

  

Number Portable Ciagsrooms   
  
  

  

Nurber of Temporary Classrooms 
  

  

  

Number Square Feet in Puilding     

Number Acres in School Site 
  
  
    

Attach a list of th ibjects or courses 

> 
- 

Same besic courses are oifere an  



BUILDING DFORMATION 

( LE A \ Vv Yu 

  
  

  

    

£ Principa dita cht 
PREPRESS Sandy, 0 5S 

  

  

- 
Ae 

EN 

Grades in Schooi_ 8-12 mer 0, & Teaching St ; iY 
  

  

(350 

(without portable Ne 
      

  

a) 

Portable and Temporary Classyooms_   

Current Student Lavellmant   

Enrollment     

  
  

ERTS r of ‘ i fo 
urbe Teachers 5 5 &0 Ag 

L chi ond ~ 
) 

a ——— areca — oS er NIN iii S am apn i nh - 
(re rn 5 

White MNegr Total 

PUpETpe———— SE AS 8 aaa 

Negro Total 
  

Enrol lnent by Grades 
at mao ncaa eae A ae Inn A AD 

- 
in on, IAL LN ST 

[ 

hog 0 
    

1.915 ee od Na... oe 
      

  

    

  
Number tuden [ransporie 45) 1.87 

Age of & 00, Type of Construction 
  

  

  
  

  

    

Number 
      

Number of Temporary Classrooms 
    
  

Number Square Feet in Puilding 
    
  

Actes in 
   



BUILDING INFORMATION 

Name of School ogers Elementary     
  

Address Nort! rth NM PE Ctran Cr pton,. 
ASIANS IF FSA TS 

    

  

Name of Princip: Leslic Johnson   

  

eri a $4 ay vy G4 Tan 

Number of Perwreanent Lea   

  

State Rated Capacity 1-27 aximum Bullding Caps 
  

  
  

= DOTET]       

    

      

Current St 
    

  
  

  
  

Enrollment         

  
  

  

cri ts———_—— 

Negro 

            

  
  

  

  

  

Enzollment hy 

ES ler 
{ [1] 

5 Ihe ] 7 pige! 0 3 
pesmi ag Pn mmm} omy 

98 
———— A 

    
  

          
  2 aw sem a Ir 

    

  
  

: £ 

of Students Transported 264 
      

  1941 Type of Construction 

  

      
  

    

Number of Portable   

Number of Temporarv Classrooms 
i 7 

    

    
  

Number of Square Feet in Building A saucsca.fosct   
  

Number of Acres in School Site 
  

Attach a list of 

Same basic courses are offer H each ele: ntary school, including Art and Special