Takeover lawsuit’s deadline extended

A federal lawsuit that challenges the January 2015 takeover of the Little Rock School District as well as various aspects of the district’s operation was dormant for a while. Now it will be a bit longer before the next step is due.

A team of attorneys led by John Walker filed the lawsuit Oct. 7 to reverse the state takeover and stop the development of both traditional and charter schools in west Little Rock.

The case was filed against leaders of the Arkansas Department of Education and the Little Rock district on behalf of a group of parents, students and two displaced Little Rock School Board members.

The lawsuit, which has been amended, was not initially served to a representative of the defendants until Dec. 21.

The Arkansas attorney general’s office last week asked U.S. District Judge D. Price Marshall Jr. for an extension of the Jan. 11 deadline for the response to the lawsuit from the state and local district defendants.

“Pursuant to the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure … a court may extend the time to file a response for good cause shown,” Assistant Attorney General Rosalyn Middleton wrote. “Good cause exists here because undersigned counsel is currently writing an extensive motion and preparing for trial in a complex school funding case.”

She also cited personal obligations during the Christmas period.

Marshall on Friday granted the extension. The new deadline is Feb. 1.

In addition to reversing the state takeover of the district, the lawsuit also seeks an end to “unconstitutional policies and practices” in the Little Rock district in regard to the condition of school facilities, student discipline, distribution of student computers, configuration of high school attendance zones, faculty-member and student assignments to schools, the operation of the Hamilton Learning Academy alternative school, and other facets of the district’s operation.