US Lawyers Looking Into 2014 School Civil Rights Complaint

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers from the U.S. Department of Education have been in New Orleans this week to look into a year-old complaint alleging racial inequities in the city's public schools.

The complaint was filed in 2014 by groups alleging that closures of some schools in New Orleans contribute to racial inequities and harm to African-American neighborhoods.

Karran Harper Royal is a leader of one of those groups, the Coalition for Community Schools. She said federal attorneys have been talking to public school students and families affected by school closures.

Patrick Dobard (DOH'-bard), head of the state agency that runs most public schools in New Orleans, said the agency has provided the attorneys with information on the application process aimed at giving all students a choice of where to attend school.

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