The Tucson Unified School District will not get the oversight relief it sought in court as part of its decades-old desegregation lawsuit.
U.S. District Judge David C. Bury denied the school districtβs request for partial unitary status in the areas of transportation, family and community engagement, technology, facilities, evidence-based accountability system and extracurricular activities.
In March, TUSD asked the court to lift oversight in those areas, arguing that there are no remaining traces of discrimination. The district declined to comment on the judgeβs decision.
Without considering the merits of TUSDβs petition, the court does not have enough information to make that decision, Bury said in his order. The special master who oversees the districtβs desegregation efforts has not yet submitted the 2015-16 annual report.
Special Master Willis Hawley recommended in May that the court defer action on the matter.
The Latino and African American plaintiffs in the case opposed TUSDβs appeal for partial unitary status, calling it βpremature.β They argued that the areas the district wanted relief in were too closely intertwined with the remaining areas of the unitary status plan, which are student assignment, quality of education and discipline.
Sylvia Campoy, who represents the Latino plaintiffs, said the district should focus on fully implementing the unitary status plan instead of pursuing βother avenues.β
βThe Mendoza plaintiffs passionately desire that TUSD obtain unitary status. However, doing so must be through a bona fide effort in its implementation of the USP and based on verifiable evidence of its full compliance,β Campoy said.