LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools and several parents involved in a lawsuit filed a joint motion Wednesday to pause proceedings for 60 days less than 24 hours before students head back to class.
During those 60 days, the current school plan will be implemented.
When the district and parents met in court on Aug. 2, there was testimony that certain schools -- specifically Male High School, duPont Manual High School and Whitney Young Elementary -- may have bus routes restored if there's enough drivers.
In the motion, attorneys said the plaintiffs realize what they've requested in the lawsuit may happen once the plan is implemented.
The families sued the district after the JCPS Board of Education voted on April 10 to cut transportation to all magnet and traditional schools, except for Central High School and Western High School, because they have more than 75% of students eligible for free and reduced lunches. They argued the plan was discriminatory to Black students.
The judge in the case still has to sign off on the motion.
A JCPS spokeswoman specified there is no settlement in place and no commitment in any way to change the district's transportation plans. The first day of school will go on as scheduled Thursday.
A statement from the district read in part:
We have stated publicly for some time, and well before the current lawsuit was filed, that if JCPS can hire or lease a sufficient number of additional bus drivers in the coming months, then the District might be able to restore transportation to some magnet and traditional students. District representatives repeated those statements in Court last Friday in connection with the lawsuit that was filed, which sought an injunction to prohibit implementation of the April 10 transportation plan and a return to last year’s transportation plan (a change that would take months to implement). The lawsuit is baseless.
After that Court hearing, the Plaintiffs' attorney contacted counsel for the District to ask if some resolution was possible. Following discussions, an agreement was reached to stay the litigation for 60 days to allow for the current transportation plan to begin and possibly be modified to expand service in that time frame. No other commitments of any sort have been made.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.