Title
Calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to Monitor the Jena 6 Litigation.
Body
WHEREAS, At Jena High School in Jena, Louisiana, students of different races have little social interaction and seldom sit together during lunch and black students traditionally sat on bleachers near the auditorium, while white students sat under a large tree, referred to as the "white tree," in the center of the school courtyard; and
WHEREAS, During a school assembly on August 31, 2006, a black student asked permission from the principal to sit under the "white tree" and the principal told students they could "sit wherever they wanted;" and
WHEREAS, The following morning, three nooses were discovered hanging from the "white tree" and the principal learned that three white students were responsible for the nooses and the principal recommended that the three students be expelled; and
WHEREAS, The board of education overruled the expulsion and the punishment was reduced to three days of in-school suspension and in response, a number of black students organized a sit-in under the "white tree," and the police were called to the school several times over the ensuing days due to a rash of interracial fights between students; and
WHEREAS, During a subsequent high school assembly, LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters told students to stop focusing on an "innocent prank" and stated,"See this pen? I can end your lives with the stroke of a pen" and following the assembly, the police began patrolling the halls of Jena High School, which resulted in a total school lockdown; and
WHEREAS, On September 10, 2006, several dozen black students attempted to address the school board concerning the recent events but were refused because the board was of the opinion that "the noose issue" had been adequately resolved, even though racial tensions and fights continued, and on November 30, 2006, t...
Click here for full text