Liberty school board passes amendment to open-enrollment policy

LIBERTY — The Liberty school board today unanimously passed an amendment to a controversial resolution passed in April stating native Caucasian students would no longer be granted consent to open enroll into Girard schools.

The amendment reads: ''The Liberty Local School District may object to and reserves the right to no longer consent to the future open enrollment of Liberty's native students in an adjacent or other districts in order to maintain an appropriate racial balance if the trend toward a racial balance continues and grows. ... At such time as the racial balance is restored and the trend discontinues, the Liberty Local School District will reconsider this open enrollment policy to adjacent school districts.'

The April resolution was passed in response to Liberty's declining student enrollment and the consequential funds that leave the district, which affect the school's ability to operate and add new programs.

The amendment is more broad, but shows the board stands firm with its decision to object to open enrollment in an attempt to maintain racial balance.

Superintendent Joseph Nohra said the new position is less passionate and sticks to the law.

The board took input from the community and state officials while designing the new resolution.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com