SHREVEPORT, La. - Controversy grew Monday afternoon over Caddo Parish School Board's redistricting plan.
Caddo Parish School Board President Tony Nations said he was hoping for a few options to choose from. But Cedric Floyd, owner of Data Center, created only one plan for the board to review.
"Every school board has to examine its numbers after the census and make sure that the smallest district and the highest district is within 10% deviation. So, we have to go in and adjust the district lines," said Floyd.
Floyd believes, given changes in population, the one map is the best map possible.
"It's the least change that was possible from the benchmark plan. The benchmark plan is the current plan," said Floyd.
Yet, Nations was outspoken in his opposition.
"Forest Hill Elementary School is right smack dab in the middle of this precinct," Nations said. " And then you have two other schools, Ridgewood and Southern Hills on the periphery of the district,” argued Nations. “And you're really taking a huge swath out of Southern Hills just to make the number right."
Nations is also frustrated that there aren't any other options for the school board to choose from.
"I'm not looking for 12 options. I'm looking for three or four, maybe. You know, that's presented, not to me, but the other board members as well," said Nations.
Marvin Muhammad, with the NAACP, thinks this plan is a step in the right direction.
"I feel very confident that this is a plan that will be approved. I believe that it satisfies Section 2 of the Voter's Rights Act. At the end of the day it's about the majority. And hopefully the majority will prevail, and we can move forward."
