Lawyers for three Little Rock-area school districts, the state of Arkansas and groups of patrons have filed formal court papers seeking an end to a 31-year-old desegregation lawsuit.
Lawyers for the state say the settlement should be accepted because all parties are backing it. They say a remedy that parties agree with is better than one where the parties "must be dragged kicking and screaming."
Arkansas has paid more than $1 billion to the Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special school districts since 1989 to achieve and maintain a racial balance. The state wants to end the payments and negotiated a settlement with the other parties.
A federal judge has set a hearing for Friday. He had asked the parties to formalize the settlement in a motion.
