Louisiana Supreme Court approves formation of new, predominantly white St. George city
6th May 2024 · 0 Comments
By Stacy M. Brown
Contributing Writer
(NNPA Newswire) — Deep-seated racial and economic tensions will be present in the new chapter of Baton Rouge’s history because of the Louisiana Supreme Court’s historic decision approving the creation of the City of St. George.
The decision follows a protracted legal battle initiated by affluent white residents seeking to carve out their own municipality from the broader cityscape, citing concerns over governance, public safety, and educational quality.
“This is the culmination of citizens exercising their constitutional rights. We voted and we won,” Andrew Murrell of the St. George campaign said.
Encompassing a sprawling 60-square-mile expanse in the southeast of East Baton Rouge Parish, St. George is poised to emerge as an autonomous entity with its own mayor and city council, catering to an estimated population of 86,000 residents of which about 12 percent are Black. Advocates tout the move as necessary to address high crime rates and underperforming schools.
However, critics argue that the decision heralds the creation of a de facto segregated enclave, further entrenching racial and economic disparities within the Baton Rouge community. The polarizing debate underscores broader societal challenges and raises profound questions about equity and inclusion. It also has all the earmarks of America’s dark history of racial segregation, which preserves the economic advantages and social dominance of whites and the politically powerful, who have utilized legal and societal barriers to maintain their elite status over other communities.
In Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963, an African-American student protested segregation by sitting at a drugstore lunch counter designated for whites only. Demonstrators staged a famous protest at a Woolworth store in New York City in 1960 to denounce segregation at the chain’s Southern lunch counters. In 1921,
Racial segregation has been pervasive worldwide among mixed-race communities, excluding regions like Hawaii and Brazil with significant racial integration. According to Brittanica, while social discrimination exists in these areas, formal segregation does not. Conversely, in the Southern United States, the segregation of Black and white individuals in public spaces was legally sanctioned from the late 1800s to the 1950s under the Jim Crow laws. In response, African Americans initiated the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s to dismantle racial segregation. The movement culminated in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which provided robust protections against discrimination and segregation in voting, education, and public facilities.
Meanwhile, the genesis of St. George dates back nearly 15 years, when residents initially sought to establish an independent school district. Over time, the ambition evolved into a broader push for municipal independence, culminating in a decisive 2019 ballot initiative in which 54 percent of residents voted in favor of incorporation.
Legal wrangling ensued, with Baton Rouge city officials contesting the move, warning of dire fiscal consequences and service disruptions. While lower courts initially sided with Baton Rouge, the state’s Supreme Court ultimately overturned their rulings, endorsing the viability of St. George’s internal budget to sustain essential public services.
Nevertheless, lingering concerns persist regarding the economic fallout. A 2014 study by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber projected a substantial budget deficit for the remaining portions of Baton Rouge, raising apprehensions about the city’s capacity to uphold public services post-separation.
The Baton Rouge Chapter of the NAACP issued the following statement in response to the state supreme court decision, “The St. George plan poses significant risks to our education system, threatens the continuity of critical programs, and challenges community representation. The creation of a new municipality introduces considerable uncertainty around funding allocation for our schools, jeopardizing the cornerstone of our community’s future: education. We urge the court to ensure that current funding levels are maintained, if not increased, to support our schools during this transition period. We emphasize the importance of community involvement in decisions that impact our children’s education. The incorporation of St. George should not diminish transparency or reduce community input.
“We acknowledge Mayor-President Broome’s opposition to the movement, reflecting concerns about potential segregation and unequal resource distribution. In light of these considerations, we call upon organizers, policymakers, and supporters to recognize the broader implications for education, community representation, and social justice. Our children and community deserve a stable, equitable, and inclusive environment, and we implore decision makers to prioritize these funda mental values.
“Additionally, we express our concerns about the proposed annexation into the new city of St. George and its implications for education. While we understand the desire for local autonomy, we urge careful consideration of the potential disruptions and increased financial burden on our schools and students. Drawing from the experiences of other Louisiana communities, we stress the importance of a comprehensive plan, community input, and collaboration to mitigate these challenges and safeguard the quality of education for our students.”
“My goal from the very beginning – and it will always be my goal – is to advocate for a united Baton Rouge,” Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome told reporters. “I am committed to serving the residents of St. George.”
This article originally published in the May 6, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
