BY ASHLEIGH MILLS | KENTUCKY
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As people protest for racial equity and justice, the Jefferson County Public Schools District (JCPS) rolled out its plan to change the student assignment program in hopes of providing more equity to students in West Louisville.
JCPS proposed to end “forced busing” in an online summit Wednesday evening, which was a 10 minute Youtube video to parents inviting their feedback.
Since schools in Jefferson County integrated, busing has attempted to bring about equal opportunity and provide diversity among student bodies across the city. Kids, with their families, can choose which schools to attend. However, Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio says not all children enjoy the same choice; many students in the West End have little choice but to bus far away from their neighborhood.
“For thousands of middle and high school students in West Louisville, their only option has been to travel outside of their neighborhood to attend classes. This isn’t equitable and quite frankly it isn’t fair,” Dr. Pollio said Wednesday.
Ending forced busing and allowing these students more options would mean building two new middle schools and a new high school.
“Since the mid-70s, middle and high school students from West Louisville have often been forced to leave their community to attend school, and it hasn’t been their choice. The last high school or middle school that was built in West Louisville was the new Central High School that was actually built in 1956 when Muhammad Ali was a ninth-grader at the school,” Dr. Pollio added.
For the plan to move forward, the Board of Education must vote to pass it. If passed, it would be implemented in Fall 2021 for sixth and ninth-graders and phased in. Parents can offer feedback to the District online.
