History
The school opened in 1950 on its present site in Middletown, Kentucky. The library was later added to the front of the school, giving the building a layout in the shape of the letter "E". The school has been part of the Jefferson County school system since before the county system aborted the old Louisville city school system. The school was co-ed from its start and was integrated long before busing was ordered in Jefferson County.
Court-ordered busing began in Louisville and Jefferson County schools in 1975. As the 1975 school year began, 900 National Guard troops were sent to Jefferson County schools by Governor of Kentucky Julian Carroll at the request of Louisville mayor Harvey I. Sloane and Jefferson County judge-executive Todd Hollenbach. Several anti-busing riots occurred elsewhere in Jefferson County. Eastern saw some protests against busing but was relatively tranquil because the school was already desegregated.
In 2009, James A. Sexton, principal at Eastern for 20 years, retired. His place was taken by Lana Kaelin.
Read more about this topic: Eastern High School (Louisville)
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