A Louisiana school board has voted to close a predominantly Black elementary school located near a petrochemical plant linked to high levels of toxic emissions.
Denka Performance Elastomer LLC, a synthetic rubber manufacturer, releases chloroprene, a likely carcinogen. According to the EPA, chloroprene levels near the facility expose the community to an “unacceptable cancer risk.”
Students at 5th Ward Elementary, located only a quarter-mile away, face a particularly high risk.
The EPA has cited this area, known as “Cancer Alley,” for its elevated cancer risks and is pushing Denka to lower emissions. However, Denka has resisted, claiming it has “significantly reduced” chloroprene levels and accusing the EPA of relying on “distorted” science. Despite this, Denka’s emissions still exceed EPA standards.
The NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund filed a motion arguing that keeping the school open violated desegregation orders by disproportionately endangering Black students. The board ultimately voted 7-4 to close the school in the 2025-2026 school year, citing financial reasons and low enrollment. However, Board Member Nia Mitchell-Williams noted the desegregation lawsuit was “the real elephant in the room” influencing the decision.
Some board members and community members opposed the closure. Board member Raydel Morris argued it would lead to another blighted building and fail to protect students, as many will transfer to another school, East St. John Preparatory, also near Denka’s facility.
“We taking them from the front door and putting them in the backyard,” Morris said.
Attorney Victor Jones of the Legal Defense Fund called for an immediate relocation, stressing the board’s
“ongoing and continued obligation to operate healthy and safe facilities for children.”
Superintendent Cleo Perry, focusing on the logistics of the transition, stated,
“Our goal right now is to work with our community to make the best transition possible.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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