Teacher Pay Scale (average salary) ...............$4,700 (This is maximum. Figure arrived at by mathematical formula that includes among other things total minimum foundation grants, supplements by counties, etc. State assumes rate same for whites and Negroes under minimum foundation law. Practically, may be some differences.) Status of Desegregation Public Schools-None. Public Colleges University of Florida Law School in 1958 accepted a Negro under court order. Private Colleges Barry College, a Catholic school in Miami, reportedly accepts students without regard to race. Official State Attitude Moderate to strong pro-segregation. Gov. LeRoy Collins, renominated in 1956 as a "moderate" over strong segregationist, sees desegregation as "inevitable." Petitions Filed Most school boards have received petitions as matter of record, but have taken no action on them. Court Actions Hawkins v. Board of Control. First filed in state courts in 1949, case went to U.S. Supreme Court on three occasions. Filed in federal district court in 1957, case resulted in decision that led to desegregation of graduate and professional schools in fall 1958. Gibson et al v. Dade County Board of Public Instruction. Filed first in July 1956, refiled in October 1956, seeks school desegregation. Holland v. Board of Public Instruction of Palm Beach County attacks pupil assignment law. Florida v. Special School Tax District No. 1 of Dade County, to determine validity of school bonds. District and supreme courts held them valid. Board of Public Instruction, Manatee County v. State, testing validity of school bonds. Court held them valid. Pruitt v. Mizell, libel suit growing out of legislative session, ended in $15,000 judgment for plaintiff. Pro-segregation Groups Federation for Constitutional Government Florida States' Rights Council Dade County States' Rights Council Dade County Property Owners Association National Federation for the Protection of White People and Fair Treatment of Negroes Pro-integration Groups Human Relations Council Legislative Action In May, 1955, legislature adopted measure giving county boards of education authority "to provide for enrollment of each child residing in each county who is qualified under laws of this state for admission to a public school and who applies for enrollment in or admission to a public school in such county." Designed to preserve segregation, the bill also provides for study groups, employment of special counsel by local boards and fixes responsibility at the local level. It permits assignment of students to the school "to which he is best suited" and makes the local board's decision "complete and final." In July 1956 legislature adopted a five-point prosegregation program at instance of Gov. Collins and Atty. Gen. Richard M. Ervin, as follows: 1) Permitting county school boards to assign pupils on basis of intellectual ability, scholastic achievement and sociological and psychological factors. 2) Permitting dismissal of teachers with tenure on a basis of sociological and psychological fac tors. GEORGIA Aaron v. Atlanta Board of Education filed 1950, dismissed for lack of prosecution 1956. Ward v. Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, filed 1952, dismissed on grounds plaintiff did not pursue administrative remedies, 1957. Georgia v. Valdosta Board of Education, filed by state to test withholding of funds from desegregated schools, withdrawn. Barbara Hunt et al v. Robert O. Arnold et al, filed in District Court in 1956 by four Negroes seeking injunction against enforcement of alumni recommendation requirements plaintiffs cannot meet because of race. Awaits hearing. Calhoun v. Latimer, filed Jan. 11, 1958 on behalf of 23 Negro children, asks injunction against operation of segregated schools in Atlanta. Assembly took further steps to prevent segrega. tion in anticipation of the Supreme Court's de cision. Among the measures adopted by the legislature was a proposal for a constitutiona amendment to allow the General Assembly to provide for grants of state, county or municipa funds to citizens of the state for educational purposes. The amendment was ratified Nov. 2, 1954 In February, 1955, the General Assembly adopted one of three proposals advanced by the Georgia Education Commission making it "a felony punishable by two years' imprisonment for any state, county, city or school official to allow any state or local funds to be used for a mixed school or to pay any teacher instructing a mixed class" In addition to an "interposition" resolution, the Georgia General Assembly in 1956 adopted statutes: 1) Authorizing the governor to close public school buildings threatened with desegregation and to start a flow of state funds to private schools which would take their place. 2) Permitting leasing of public school property. 3) Authorizing the State School Building Authority to sub-lease buildings. 4) Providing for teachers to receive retirement benefits under the private school plan. 5) Requiring that private schools be inspected by the state fire marshal. 6) Making it a misdemeanor to enter state-owned property closed by authorized state officials. 7) Providing that state law enforcement agencies shall enforce segregation laws. 8) Causing officers who fail to enforce such laws to lose retirement and disability benefits. 9) Providing for state attorneys to defend or represent any state employe or official involved in litigation as a result of his having enforced segregation laws. In the 1957 session of the General Assembly, six segregation measures were enacted: 1) Permits the governor to abolish compulsory school attendance laws at his discretion. 2) Extends the police powers of the governor. 3) Protects teacher retirement benefits in event of a transition from public integrated to private segregated schools. 4) Gives the Georgia Education Commission, empowered to seek legal means of circumventing the Supreme Court desegregation ruling, more authority. 5) Provides for a campaign to disseminate information of a pro-segregation nature. 6) Resolution calling for impeachment of 6 U. S Supreme Court justices. The 1958 Legislature passed: 1) An act amending the compulsory attendance law to provide that no child shall be required to attend school with a child of another race. 2) A resolution of conviction that New York's school problems be left to the locality for settlement without federal interference. Georgia Georgia Note enrollments are for 1956-57 school year while mixed class totals are for 1957-58 year, accounting for instances where more children are listed in mixed classes than reflected in total enrollments. 3. Trimble Co. 1.281 Union Co. 1957 2,775 339 Uniontown Segre 497 21 Warren Co. Plan 5,123 408 Bowling Grn. Segre 2.954 536 Washington Co. Segre Springfield...Segre 241 Wayne Co. 1955 Number enrolled in mixed classes unknown or unreported. Other white independent school districts and their enrollments follow: Lone Jack, 368; Fairview, 1,273; Bellevue, 1.679; Cold Springs. 964: Dayton 2.047; Fort Thomas, 2,354; Silver Grove, 281: Southgate, 363; Albany, 517; Ravenna, 22 Raceland, 693; Russell, 1,667; South Portsmouth, Anchorage, 307; Paintsville. 1.228; Van Lear, 335 Beechwood, 892; Ludlow, 1.102; Vanceburg, 507: Benton, 698; Stearns, 429; Science Hill 283; Mt. Vernon, 542; Corbin, 1.488. Court Actions Willis v. Walker, opened Adair County schools. Curtis Mitchell et al v. Sam Pollack, faster de segregation of Hopkins County schools ordered. Grubbs v. Chandler, seeks mandamus for enforcement of state school segregation laws. James H. Gordon et al v. Wilbur H. Collins et al. desegregation in Webster County ordered. Margaret Garnett et al v. Carlos Oakley et al, do segregation in Union County ordered. Wilburn v. Holland, desegregation plan for McCracken County schools ordered. Grimes v. Smith, filed Dec. 23, 1957 on behalf of 8 Negro children, asks desegregation of Owen County schools. Pro-segregation Groups Citizens Councils of Kentucky, Inc. Pro-integration Groups Human Relations Council Legislative Action None Kentucky Kentucky Status of Desegregation Public Schools-None at elementary and secondary levels Colleges 5 of 8 state-supported institutions have accepted Negroes as result of court action. LSU has 49 Negro graduate students. Three have undergraduates: McNeese College, Lake Charles, 50 to 75; Southwestern Louisiana Institute, Lafayette, 50 to 60; Southeastern Louisiana College, Hammond, 12 to 15; LSU at New Orleans, 59. Private Colleges 4 of 10 accept Negroes. Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans (10); Loyola University (Catholic), New Orleans (75); Notre Dame Seminary (Catholic), New Orleans (3); Sacred Heart College (Catholic), Grand Coteau (2). Xavier University (Catholic) at New Orleans, a predominantly Negro school, in 1955-56 had about 15 white students. Official State Attitude Strongly pro-segregation. Petitions Filed-5 Two with Orleans Parish Board, one each in Shreveport, Lafayette and Baton Rouge. Court Action Arnease Ludley v. LSU; Jack Bailey v. McNeese College; Alma Lark v. Southeastern Louisiana College; Virdie St. Julien v. Southwestern Louisiana Institute, all obtained permanent injunctions against use of "certificate law," Act 15 of 1956 and companion Act 249, to deny them admittance, Both laws held invalid. Williams et al v. Prather et al, seeks admission to Northwestern State College, Natchitoches. Hall v. St. Helena Parish School Board. Bush v. Orleans Parish School Board, federal courts held Louisiana school segregation laws, including new ones, void. Angel et al v. Jackson et al, seeks desegregation of five state trade schools. Davis v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board. Adams v. Attorney General of Louisiana, sought to halt use of $100,000 in legal fight against desegregation, state judge ruled no cause of action in November, 1955. Louisiana ex rel. LeBlanc v. Lewis, injunction against NAACP, granted Nov. 29, 1956. Pro-segregation Groups Louisiana Association of Citizens Councils Federation for Constitutional Government Southern Gentlemen, Inc. Pro-integration Groups Human Relations Council Commission on Human Rights of the Catholic Committee of the South Southern Conference Educational Fund Legislative Action The 1954 legislature censured the Supreme Court and passed three bills, as follows: 1) All schools shall be operated separately and "this provision is made in the exercise of the state police power to promote and protect public health, morals, better education and the peace and good order of the state, and not because of race." "Police power" amendment submitted to voters in November, 1954 and passed. It provides also that the legislature may call an election any time on educational matters, thus making possible additional legislation if the "police power" amendment is held unconstitutional. 2) The State Board of Education shall not approve any school which violates the segregation provision. The bill also prohibits the granting of free school books and other supplies or state funds for free lunch programs. 3) Local superintendents to designate each school which a student may attend and bill provides that no school child "shall be entitled to be enrolled to enter a public school until he has been assigned thereto by the superintendent." Administrative appeal provided. In 1956, the legislature adopted and the voters ratified the following: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (formerly HB 434): Sets up governing boards of publicly-financed parks and schools as "special agencies" of the state. It then withdraws permission for suits to be brought against special agencies, except with the approval of the legislature in "individual cases." ACT 14: Orders complete separation of races in all public recreational facilities, to be enforced by the state's constitutional "police power," to promote "the public health, morals and the peace and good order..." ACT 15: Provides that, in order to be registered at a tax-supported college, a person must file a certificate attesting to eligibility and good moral character, signed by the high school principal and district public school superintendent. ACT 28: Suspends the compulsory school attendance law for children seven to 16 in a special case: in any public or private school or system which is integrated, regardless of the authority ordering integration. |