The Justice Department says that the Evangeline Parish school board has taken long enough to resolve desegregation issues at Ville Platte High School, explains a story in The Advocate. The school board asked for an extension to the Dec. 15 hearing date, by which a decision must be made as to whether to close the school, and if so where the 377, predominately black, students will attend school. Ville Platte High School has been under desegregation orders for years, and while the parish spent $3 million on upgrades, the Justice Department says that the school’s academics and physical plant are still deficient. Over the course of the past year, the parish has failed to pass a property tax three times, dedicated to building a new school. The Justice Department opposes any extention to the hearing date. At the planned Dec. 15 hearing, U.S. District Judge Tucker Melancon is expected to decide if the school will close.