'Relief that this is finally over': Court decides Lumberton consolidation fight
The long court fight over Lamar County School District's decision to voluntarily consolidate the Lumberton Public School District is over.
The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in the Lamar district's favor — a decision that was four years in coming.
"(There is) relief that this is finally over and then excitement that this is finally over," Tess Smith, Lamar County School District superintendent, said in an email.
The case was an appeal by the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors and the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District to undo the consolidation — which occurred on July 1, 2018.
The Supreme Court ruled the plaintiffs were too late in bringing their complaint to court.
What happened with the voluntary consolidation?
The voluntary consolidation involved a decision by the Lamar County School Board and Lumberton Public School Board to consolidate the two school districts — without needing the input of the Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District in Pearl River County.
In March 2017, a state administrative commission assigned to oversee the consolidation approved the plan.
In April 2017, the Lumberton Public School District and the Lamar County School District voted to consolidate the districts, including territory in Pearl River County. The Mississippi Board of Education approved the plan June 16, 2017.
When Lamar County School District voluntarily consolidated the Lumberton Public School District it acquired about 150 students who lived in Pearl River County.
It also acquired about 420 Lumberton students who lived in Lamar County.
Lamar County schools officials agreed to keep Lumberton schools open and have Lumberton students attend those schools. They also hired Lumberton teachers.
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Pearl River County education officials said Pearl River students should attend school in Pearl River County. They filed suit along with Pearl River County supervisors.
Pearl River's lawsuit named the Mississippi Board of Education, Lamar County School District and the Commission on the Administrative Consolidation of the Lumberton Public School District.
What were some of the arguments?
The case reached the Chancery Court of Pearl River County five months after the State Board of Education approved the consolidation plan.
Even though the chancery court ruled in favor of Lamar County School District, the plaintiffs appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court.
The plaintiffs argued the consolidation agreement was illegal and had resulted — through the loss of the Pearl River County students — in "significant adverse taxing and funding inequities at the expense of Pearl River County."
The chancery court ruled the plaintiffs had not filed their complaint within a 10-day deadline from the date of adjournment of the state Board of Education meeting at which the order was entered.
Pearl River requested the chancery court determine the voluntary agreement void.
The chancery court ruled in Lamar County School District's favor.
What happened at the Mississippi Supreme Court?
The state Supreme Court ruled Pearl River's appeal was not filed within the proper time period and affirmed the decision of the chancery court.
How did the long court battle affect the Lamar County School District?
"It never caused me or my team a moment of pause," Smith said. "We did everything in Lumberton as we would for any of our schools.
"When the idea was first proposed by one of our (school) board members, my first thought was that it was a solution that would solve everything and allow Lumberton schools to remain intact."
Smith said the long court fight gives her pause.
"I am just sad over the money that was spent wasted fighting a court battle over an issue where two districts (Lumberton and Lamar) agreed to consolidate which is supported by law," she said.
Konya Miller, Poplarville Special Municipal Separate School District superintendent and plaintiffs' attorneys R. Andrew Taggart, Jr. and David Porter were not immediately available for comment.
Contact Ellen Ciurczak at eciurczak@gannett.com. Follow @educellen on Twitter.