ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, La. (WGNO) — In a 7 to 4 vote Thursday night, Nov. 7 St. John the Baptist School Board has decided to close Fifth Ward Elementary at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. The school is less than a mile from the Denka Plant in Reserve, in an area commonly called cancer alley. St. Tammany Parish Council considering mandatory spay-neuter ordinance The Legal Defense Fund sued the district for allegedly moving predominantly black and Hispanic students to Fifth Ward regardless of where they live. The NAACP believes the proximity puts students in danger of the 'mutagenic, carcinogenic effects of chloroprene.'  FILE - The Fifth Ward Elementary School and residential neighborhoods sit near the Denka Performance Elastomer Plant, back, in Reserve, La., Sept. 23, 2022. The Biden administration has dropped an investigation into whether Louisiana officials put Black residents living in an industrial stretch of the state at increased cancer risk, despite finding initial evidence of racial discrimination, according to a federal court filing Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) In the past, the Environmental Protection Agency, along with Congressman Troy Carter have supported closing the school. Students will be redistricted to either East. St. John Preparatory or LaPlace Elementary for the 2025-2026 school year. St. Tammany Parish Council considering mandatory spay-neuter ordinance A separate motion was also passed to change the name of East St. John Preparatory to Fifth Ward Preparatory to honor the history and alumni of the school.  Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Post Beyoncé earns 11 Grammy nods, becoming show's most nominated artist ever Man shot, killed outside Pearl River home: STPSO Big Game Bound: Jim Harbaugh on the 'middle eight' On tap at Tiger Stadium, LSU's 'Tiger Smash' Tim Scott officially launches bid to run NRSC