The St.Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that a federal judge has halted elections for the school board in the Ferguson-Florrissant, Missouri, school district until further notice, saying the process is “stacked against African Americans:"
U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel said that while he does not see evidence of intentional discrimination, there is a more subtle "complex interaction" of political processes that deter black voters from electing the candidates of their choice.
"Rather, it is my finding that the cumulative effects of historical discrimination, current political practices, and the socioeconomic conditions present in the District impact the ability of African-Americans in (the school system) to participate equally in Board elections," the judge concluded in a 119-page ruling issued Monday.
The ruling states that the election system is in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
"As a result, the Court enjoins Defendants from conducting any elections for the District’s Board until a new system may be properly implemented," the judge ruled.
Since the murder of Mike Brown by Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014, a world spotlight thrown onto Ferguson, Missouri, has revealed countless stories of virulent racism and ruthless exploitation not limited to the policing system in that area.
Thank goodness for that spotlight.