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Suit: Md. Underfunds Historically Black Schools

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A federal judge is deciding whether a suit that contends that Maryland underfunds its four historically black colleges and universities can go forward to trial in June.

Lawyers representing an advocacy group that sued the Higher Education Commission argued Wednesday that the schools are more segregated now than decades ago.

The suit alleges that the state is not keeping equity promises made to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights and that current practices are discriminatory. The commission says it hasn't heard from the office since completing the improvement plan agreement, leading it to interpret that its efforts were satisfactory.

U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake says she will rule soon on whether the case can go forward.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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