European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1981, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Doily Magazine Husi Zuj rift in Louisiana feuding judges Richard Earl Lee Nauman by Joan Duffy United press International judge Richard Earl Lee says the Issue in Rural Louisiana struggle against busing is one of states rights a Noble cause he feels was tainted by the civil War crusade led by his con Fer Date Robert to judge Nauman a Rock ribbed Republican conservative appointed to the Federal Bench by Richard Nix the Issue is one of supreme Federal authority to provide equal Protection under the but All Michelle Lynda Mcneil and Ramona Carbo say they want is to be cheerleaders and stars of the Buckeye High school girls basketball the three 13yearold White girls from the Rural Piney Woods of and Lee a direct descendant of the Confederate general have embarked on one of the biggest integration fights since the supreme court outlawed racially segregated school systems in Brown the Board of education in Lee and his followers claim the fight is against forced busing and the interference of Federal courts into the Home and Scott says the arguments rekindle memories of Little Birmingham and the other civil rights Battles of the late 1950s and for 10 Scott has presided Over a suit calling for More integration of the Rapides Parish county school system and according to Black lawyers pushing the Case he was far from being a fast moving Liberal m his last after rejecting a Justice department mixing plan he said went too Scott issued his own plan that minimized but offered racially balanced schooling for nearly percent of All Public school children in the the problems at Buckeye began when the three girls Learned they would have to leave the 600student All White Buckeye school in Central Louisiana to attend Jones Street a predominantly Black school about 15 Miles from their Homes near downtown Alexan this whole fight has More to do with cheer leading than anything harried Buckeye principal Charles Waites the girls parents bowed to their wishes and asked neighbors living in the Buckeye attendance zone to As sume custody so they could remain at the Waites said the tactic was common among parents wanting their children to remain in neighbourhood but Scott Learned of the Sham and ordered them to Jones enter judge the newest hot political property in the who took custody of the girls himself and sent sheriffs deputies and state troopers to make sure they stayed at Lee became an instant hero As signs and bumper stick ers popped up throughout the Parish Reading god bless Dick and Dick Lee win make us the Ballad of judge Lee a country Western ditty telling he has set the people free shot to the top of local radio charts and judge Lee needs you shirts spread his political speculators Peg Lee As a potential candidate for Congress in a District that May become More conservative after this years Scotts a state representative heading the Legislatures restricting is considered another potential congressional candidate in the the confrontation Between state judge and Federal judge came to a head in Scotts courtroom at a hearing on a contempt Fine against Lee for keeping the girls at Scott defused the standoff by lifting the Fine in Exchange for Lees Promise to enrol the girls at Jones up 0 Michelle Laborde Ramona Lynda Mcneal Center of school busing february Street for the Spring but Lee never said they would attend the school and the Battle raged while waiting for the next Legal chapter to be decided in the 5th circuit court of the three girls enrolled at a makeshift school in Baptist Church a school staffed by Only two with no basketball team and no cheer Lead ing Lee and his supporters claim the Only Issue at hand was the states Sovereign authority in custody but some Felt the Battle of the judges smacked of old fashion at the 15 contempt hearing in the courthouse Steps looked like a scene from siting and civil rights demonstrations of the late on that thursday Martin Luther Kings birthday Blacks linked singing civil rights anthems while members of the Kun flux who left their White Robes at distributed racist literature and states fighters paraded donkeys wearing signs identifying them As judge Scotts there have been a million cases just like Scott said from the Bench that i am not starting any thing the same thing happened at Little Rock and at the University of the same arguments were in going to Deal with them with the same Scott has said Little about the Case outside his court but after the january hearing he talked candidly about his duty to follow Laws that mandate racial mixing in Public schools and his fear that his desegregation plan win spark enough White flight backlash to cripple the Public school its an educated guess How far you can go without running everybody he that the problem i have to prevent White if i the system would not be a viable one for either Blacks or i cant afford to let either of them he sympathizes with parents frustrated by Federal orders that bus their children away from but he said the Law is Law and he will follow Freedom of Choice there is nothing More constitutional in the but its been in the courts and the supreme court Hast accepted i am not willing to wage War Over a fight that has already been Scott said busing was nothing new for school children living in Rapides Parish Louisiana second largest All of these kids were busing last year while attend ing except one who transferred and they would be bused this year if they went to the school where they want to Scott last when Michelle Laborde was living with her parents and attending she caught a school bus at every Day and Rode Miles to school nearly an hour Long had she gone to Jones Street As Scott Mich Elle could have slept a bit later in the caught a bus at and made the 18mile trip in 40 min the Issue for the girls was not distance or race it was cheer leading and they last summer they washed cars and baked cookies to raise Money for Blue and Gold cheerleader Michelle and Lynda Mcneil Best friends through elementary school were voted yearbook favourites in the seventh and Ramona a shy Brunette with braces sparkling on her was chosen for the Buckeye Pep Ina Michelle said the girls started their quests to remain at Buckeye in August with teary eyes and pleas for mom and dad to let them now i see a determination in them that want there Laborde the stars and stripes Page 13