Mobile Judge Delays Racism Lawsuit

By The Associated Press

Published: Fri, August 22, 2008 - 11:27 am Last Updated: Fri, August 22, 2008 - 11:31 am

Short URL: http://wkrg.com/a/17148/

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - A federal magistrate judge in Mobile will
recommend delaying a decision on whether to turn a discrimination
case against Monroe County schools into a class-action suit.
The parents of nine students at Monroeville Junior High School
accuse administrators of meting out disparate discipline, making
classroom assignments based on race and retaliating against parents
who complain.
Lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union have asked that
the plaintiffs be allowed to represent all black students who
attended the school within the last three years.
But U.S. Magistrate Judge Sonja Bivins said Thursday she doesn't
have enough information to decide the issue.
She said she would recommend that Chief U.S. District Judge
Ginny Granade postpone a final ruling until the two sides can
exchange more information.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)