Suffolk schools end court‑ordered race‑based student assignment after DOJ dismissal; families to be notified

The Suffolk City School Board on Feb. 12 announced that a U.S. District Court has dismissed with prejudice the longstanding desegregation lawsuit that led to the district’s majority‑to‑minority (M‑to‑M) student assignment program, and that the program will end.

School board attorney Waller told the board the dismissal follows a motion filed by the Department of Justice and the school board on Sept. 3, 2025, and the court’s subsequent order. "The case has now been dismissed and the case has been closed by the court," Waller said during the meeting, adding that the dismissal means Suffolk Public Schools may no longer operate a race‑based student assignment program.

Superintendent John B. Gordon III and Chief of Administrative Services Dr. Rodney Brown outlined operational steps and the impact on student populations. Gordon said staff prepared charts showing the number of students affected at several schools; for example, the presentation listed 38 students affected at Elephant's Fork and 57 at Southwestern in total, with specific counts by rising grade. "This is the chart that I was just referring to here where you can see the changes," Gordon said, pointing to the schools that will see the largest enrollment shifts.

Dr. Brown described how the district will process out‑of‑zone waivers after the program ends. He said waivers fall into standard categories—employee waivers, special circumstances, elementary child care and previously existing M‑to‑M waivers—and that staff will consider building capacity, attendance history and conduct when reviewing requests. "Those kids will get a special look and they will get special consideration," Brown said of rising fifth‑ and eighth‑grade students who have been in a school for years and may be grandfathered.

The board heard that transportation will change: district transportation for students attending out‑of‑zone under M‑to‑M will cease, and parents will be responsible for travel to and from school for approved waivers that are not part of an existing transportation program. Brown noted an operational benefit: removing some extended bus runs will allow the district to return drivers to standard routes.

Superintendent Gordon said the district plans to notify affected families on Feb. 13 and to open the out‑of‑zone waiver process in March, with applications typically processed in late spring or summer "when the rollover comes up." "It gives families enough time to prepare for whatever's gonna happen next year," Gordon said, noting the district will use multiple communication platforms and school‑level outreach to reach impacted households.

The board did not take a vote to change assignments at the meeting; members received the legal update and operational briefing and were given the opportunity to ask questions about notification methods and waiver timelines. The superintendent said staff will return with details as the waiver period opens.