JOHN E. SETTLE JR
Like all governmental bodies, the Caddo School Board must implement redistricting to comply with the 2020 census.
The federal guidelines require that districts be the approximate same size.
The redistricting is also to reelect the total population of the Parish with appropriate representation of races.
Data Center, LLC is the demographer for the school board (and the Caddo Commission).
Unlike many other demographers, Data Center did NOT meet with school board members, either individually or in groups numbering less than a majority, before a redistricting presentation to the full board in an open meeting.
Additionally, Data Center did NOT provide more than one plan.
Designated as "Plan A", the plan has SEVEN majority black districts and FIVE majority white districts.
Currently the Caddo School Board, like the Caddo Commission, has SIX majority black districts and SIX majority white districts.
Plan A changes District 10, represented by Tony Nations, from a majority white district to a majority black district.
The parish 2020 census population, as reported by Data Center, is 48.47% black and 43.49% white.
The information presented to the board did NOT break down the other non-black non-white parish population of 8.04% as to composition.
Furthermore this population is NOT reported in the Plan A chart.
The School Board has a community meeting this Friday April 22 at Caddo Parish Magnet High School at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium to review Plan A.
The board also has a community meeting next Monday April 25 at the Southwood High School auditorium.
The Board must approve a redistricting plan by June due to the school board elections this fall. A plan could be adopted as soon as May 7.