With court-ordered re-zoning and school closures in St Landry Parish, the northern part of the parish is seeing major changes as the school year gets closer.

Jason Newton spent the day with those directly affected by the court's decisions.

Not all are upset about the closing of schools in St. Landry Parish. Like Dianne Hills, a paraprofessional at Morrow Elementary last year, now she'll do the same at North Central High School. The closing of Morrow and re-zoning will bring her children to Palmetto Elementary and North Central High.

"I'll be able to be with one of my kids and closer to the other" says Hills.

But many others say they are unconvinced, and upset with the change.

Morrow Elementary is one of schools closed in St Landry Parish. Students there will now go to Palmetto, about 20 miles away.

The school is so far away, residents in the Morrow, Le Moyen area have a different area code than that of the Palmetto area. Meaning some parents actually have to dial long-distance to call their child's school. One of many concerns from parents Esther Bazile states about the upcoming court-ordered desegregation changes.

"You used to could drive half a mile to come see about child who was sick, now you have to find transportation and drive for like 20 miles" says Bazile.

In a rural area like Northern St Landry Parish, transportation alone can prove to be difficult.

Jason Newton