Buckeye High School, Deville, Louisiana

Buckeye High School (Louisiana)
Exterior of Buckeye High School in Deville, Louisiana
Location
715 Hwy. 1207 P.O. Box 439 Deville, LA 71328 United States
Information
Type	High school
School district	Rapides Parish School District
Principal	Dewayne Vines
Grades	6-12
Color(s)	Royal blue and gold
Team name	Panthers
Feeder schools	Buckeye Elementary School, Hayden R. Lawrence Elementary
Website	rpsb.us/BuckeyeHigh/

Buckeye High School is a high school in Deville, Louisiana in northern Rapides Parish, Louisiana, serving grades 6-12. The school serves the adjacent communities of Buckeye, Deville, Holloway Prairie, Big Island, Libuse, Hickory Grove, and some suburbs of Pineville. Like all schools in the Rapides Parish School District, the school has a uniform policy rather than permitting street clothes.

Buckeye High School was formed in 1938, and graduated its first class in 1938. Prior to 1938, students who wished to attend school had the opportunity to attend Bolton High School in nearby Alexandria. The first school building consisted of a single wood frame and clapboard building. Grade 6 classes are held in the old junior high building. Students in grades 7 and 8 have their classes in the old high school building. Classes for grades 9-12 are held in the newest high school building.

Buckeye High School was one of the last schools to become integrated in Rapides Parish. In 1981, the school became the source of local controversy after desegregation efforts by Federal District Judge Nauman Scott. Louisiana Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Richard Earl "Dick" Lee opposed Scott's plans, particularly his use of desegregation busing to racially integrate the school district. Lee's opposition centered around three Caucasian girls, soon referred to as the "Buckeye Three", whose parents had transferred custody of them in an attempt to maintain enrollment in Buckeye High School after Scott had ordered the majority of their class to enroll at the primarily-black Jones Street School. After months of legal duelling, the girls were compelled to register at Jones Street, but no penalties were levied against their families or Judge Lee.

The campus and surrounding community continue to be predominately Caucasian.

The school is locally known for its college-styled campus. Buckeye consists of ten buildings: high school building, junior high building, sixth grade building, cafeteria, auditorium, music building, field house, boys' gym, girls' gym, and agriculture building.