Judge gives school extension

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 12, 2009

JACKSON (AP) — A federal judge has given defendants in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union more time to respond to allegations that six black students were assaulted and discriminated against following an argument on an alternative school bus in DeSoto County.

The ACLU’s lawsuit claimed the students were assaulted by two Southaven police officers and singled out while a white girl involved in the argument was let go. The suit was filed last month.

U.S. District Judge S. Allan Alexander has given defendants until May 28 to file their answer to the allegations. Those defendants include two Southaven police officers, the city of Southaven, two school bus drivers and the DeSoto County Schools district.

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