PBS Frontline will air a "documentary" tonight at 9:00 cst titled "Separate and Unequal" centered around the ongoing effort to create a new city and school system in East Baton Rouge Parish. The Frontline episode portrays this movement as one “motivated by race and class,” and it continually focuses on the desegregation lawsuit that lasted for decades in this parish.
We feel it is unfortunate Frontline has chosen to do so, as its focus insures an inaccurate portrayal of the struggle taking place in southern East Baton Rouge Parish.
This movement has NOTHING to do with class or race. It has everything to do with parents (black and white, rich and poor) who are fed up with the current education, or lack thereof, in the public schools in East Baton Rouge Parish. Parents who will do whatever it takes to give their children a chance. In fact, the St. George School System would be the definition of diverse, as it will most likely be very close to 50% Caucasian and 50% African American.
