New Precedent in Oklahoma School Desegregation Set by Federal District Court Judge L.H. Bohanon

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(See list attached) : ; August 11, 1965 

Federal District Court Judge Luther H. Bohanon set a new precedent 
in school desegregation cases yesterday in ruling that the Oklahoma 
City Board of Education must take positive and affirmative steps to 

nate racial segregation in public schools. 
The ruling followed a hearing on a desegregation report prepared by 

three education experts who were hired by the NAACP Legal Defense and ~ 
Educational Fund on behalf of the Negro plaintiffs in the court action, 

The experts were hired with the court's approval after the board 
of education had rejected the court's suggestion that it have such a 
bh made to obtain expert assistance in solving its desegregation ng 
problems. 2 
“SIN a iy 2 4 1963 ruling, Judge Bohanon had found that man Ee | 

ty in Oklahoma ie Schools was insufficient to fulfill the mandate of th 
Supreme Court's 1954 school desegregation ruling. 4 

- At that time the court revoked a transfer plan that allowed white — 
children assigned to predominately Negro schools to transfer back to all- 
white schools, 

Although there is segregation in 90 per cent of the city's Sehdols ; 
as a result of residential patterns, the board indicated it felt no — q 
obligation to take action to correct the situation. 

In Yesterday" s ruling the court adopted recommendations in thes 
experts’ report which included a transfer policy which would enable — 
Negro children assigned to predominately Negro schools to obtain, for 
that reason, transfers to predominately white schools. . 

The court also ordered the combination of zones for two pairs of 
high schools to further epi eg ania them and set a teacher hiring policy 
ee ay 1970 will result in integrated faculties for all Oklahoma City 
schools. ‘ 

. Presently 18 per cent of the city's teachers are Negroes, but most 
are assigned to predominately Negro schools. The plan's goal is for each 
school to have Hc gh shor yhehe 18 per cent Negro teachers. 

Legal Defense Fund Assistant Counsel Derrick A. Bell said the 
decision represents an important milestone in the legal fight to bring 
about meaningful compliance with the ll-year-old Supreme Court hag 
that Negro children assigned to segregated schools are denied an soa 
education, 

"If followed by the courts, the decision ma means that schoo te 
will no longer be able to substitute the segregated housing caida, J 

¢ 

(more) = = 

enerally found in most American communities for the now illegal duj 
school zones," Mr. Bell said. "The result of such ‘neighborhood s 
is that education is as segregated now as it was before 1954." 

The New Se attorney, who was joined by U. Simpson Tate of + 
Wewoka, Okla., in the case, indicated he expects the Oklahoma Ci 

% Board to appeal the ruling. 
_ The education experts employed by the Legal Defense Fund 

William R. Cormack, director of the Southwest Center for Human Relat: 
; av tah at the University of Oklahoma; Dr. Willard R, Spauldi 2 

Francisco, Calif., and Dr, Earl A. McGovern, administrative assis 
t 3 @ superintendent of New Rochelle, N.Y. * schools. J 

Edwin K. Wi ley, Pub. ‘i 
i antomat n posts ae 

Legal ense & Ed, Fund 
el - us eee Suite 2030 

ion oe