This is Berkeley, South Carolina, by the way
Court lifts cloud from Berkeley schools
Judge says district has desegregated
BY SEANNA ADCOX
Of The Post and Courier Staff
A federal judge has dismissed a 34-year-old federal desegregation order against the Berkeley County School District and declared its schools unitary.
The school district has "eliminated the vestiges of the former dual system and has achieved unitary status," U.S. District Judge David Norton wrote in his order signed and filed Wednesday in Charleston.
The declaration means Berkeley County public schools have complied with court orders and eradicated racial discrimination "to the extent practicable." Berkeley County is the state's fourth largest school district with more than 26,000 students.
"This is a wonderful present," school district spokeswoman Pam Bailey said Thursday. "It's the end of the school year today and the end of a 34-year-old shadow."
Well, it's a 600 year shadow if you're actually counting.
