DOJ says it's moving to end more than 50 decades-old school desegregation cases

Updated on: September 24, 2026 / 7:24 PM EDT / CBS News

DOJ says it's moving to end more than 50 decades-old school desegregation cases

TL;DR

  • The Justice Department is seeking to terminate more than 50 long-standing consent decrees related to school desegregation.
  • These decrees were implemented to address racial segregation prevalent during the Jim Crow era.
  • The department claims the decrees are "onerous and outdated" and do not reflect current classroom realities.
  • Critics, including former Justice Department officials and civil rights advocates, express concern that this action could lead to resegregation and increased discrimination.
  • The department is conducting a case-by-case review to determine if school districts have achieved "unitary status" before dismissing cases.