Briarfield Academy Explained

Briarfield Academy
Location:Lake Providence, Louisiana
Pushpin Map:Louisiana
Type:Private
Grades:PK-12

Briarfield Academy is a non-sectarian, private school admitting pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade students. It is located on Riddle Lane in Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The school has more than 180 students.

History

The school was founded as a segregation academy in 1970 after a federal court ordered the racial integration of East Carroll Parish public schools. This was 16 years after the US Supreme Court had ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional, in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

When it first opened, the school enrolled 400 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. By the end of 1970, Briarfield Academy enrolled 565 students at two campuses.[1] Many of the Briarfield Academy's teachers in the early years were former employees of the public schools system. They resigned and took pay cuts to avoid having to teach in racially integrated classrooms.[2]

Athletics

Briarfield Academy is known for its success in athletics

8-Man Football

Girls' Basketball

Fast Pitch Softball

Championships

Football championships

Basketball championships

Softball championships

Notes and References

  1. News: Newsmakers are recalled for 1970 in East Carroll. Rushing. Mildred. December 29, 1970. The Monroe News Star. 22.
  2. News: Private Schools Mushroom in wake of Desegregation Order. Miller. Mike. February 15, 1970. The (Opelousas) Daily World. 22.