School Workers Fired After Katrina Return To Court

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Attorneys for teachers and other school workers fired in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have asked Louisiana's Supreme Court to take another look at their lawsuit over the firings.

         The lawsuit could have resulted in damages being paid to more than 7,000 fired school employees. But the high court dismissed the suit last month in a 5-2 decision.

         The workers request a rehearing on a variety of grounds. Among them is the contention that education officials from the state and New Orleans wrongly claimed there was no money available to bring back workers. The workers say post-Katrina federal emergency funds totaling nearly $500 million should have been used for that purpose.

         – by AP Reporter Kevin McGill