The United States sued Plaquemines Parish School Board seeking to desegregate its schools in 1966. By 1975, the Court found the schools had been properly integrated, but the case was never removed from the Court system. So, for nearly a half century the case remained open. 

As a result of Attorney General Liz Murrill's involvement for multiple years, that ended today, on Tuesday April 29. Now the Plaquemines Parish School District is free of federal oversight. 

“After half-a-century of silence, the United States Department of Justice has dismissed the school desegregation case it filed against the Plaquemines Parish School Board back in 1966. Members of my solicitor general team recently met with representatives from the DOJ to express my and Governor Landry’s interest in starting to close out all of their remaining desegregation cases in Louisiana. The DOJ’s decision today to finally dismiss this case recognizes what the judge in 1975 declared — that for more than 50 years, the Plaquemines Parish School Board has been operating “one system of schools” with no “effects of past discrimination” — and it has done so voluntarily without the need for court intervention. DOJ’s decision marks an important step forward, not only for the Plaquemines Parish School Board, but also for school boards across the State that can now follow suit. My office will be working closely with these school boards to evaluate their cases and help them officially put the past in the past," said Attorney General Liz Murrill.

"Thank you, President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, and their great team at USDOJ for ending this decades-long legal battle. For years, federal judges have imposed unnecessary requirements that have cost our schools and our children tens of millions of dollars. Educational decisions should be made at the most local level and not by unelected, activist federal judges. For those school systems still under desegregation cases, I want you to know there is an end in sight, and I encourage you to reach out to the Attorney General," said Governor Jeff Landry.

"The Plaquemines Parish School Board is pleased to announce a truly historic day in Plaquemines Parish. Today, the United States Department of Justice voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit it filed against the School Board in 1966 to desegregate the public schools in the Parish. Decades ago, the federal court recognized that the School Board had successfully eliminated all effects of the prior segregated school system. The court then administratively closed the case but never officially dismissed it, leaving it “dormant” for the last 50 years. The School Board has been operating independently, without complaint from USDOJ, ever since. On April 17, 2025, the School Board voted to have the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office assist with this case. As a result of the Attorney General’s involvement, today, the School Board joined the United States of America in voluntarily dismissing the case. This dismissal confirms that the court’s supervision of the School Board has ended and that the elected school board members have full control of the Plaquemines Parish School System. The School Board reaffirms its commitment to continuing to provide quality educational services to all students in a non-discriminatory manner. The School Board thanks the efforts of its counsel, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and her Solicitor General team, Governor Jeff Landry, and the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice to end this decades-old desegregation case," said Board President Mr. Niko Tesvich and Superintendent Dr. Shelley Ritz Board.

“No longer will the Plaquemines Parish School Board have to devote precious local resources over an integration issue that ended two generations ago. This is a prime example of neglect by past administrations, and we’re now getting America refocused on our bright future," said Assistant United States Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet K. Dhillon.

“Louisiana got its act together decades ago, and it is past time to acknowledge how far we have come. America is back, and this Department of Justice is making sure the Civil Rights Division is correcting wrongs from the past and working for all Americans," said Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Civil Rights Division for the United States Department of Justice.