Admission & Desegregation Re-examining the Role of Race in the Enrollment of America’s Public Schools By Tracy Hall & Tim Milledge

From Topeka to Seattle The Road to Public School Desegregation Over 50 years ago the desegregation of our public schools began with the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. In this case the court ruled racially segregated public schools are unconstitutional and “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” This marked the end of the road for dual systems of education in America. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).

Proceed With Caution Resistance to Desegregation Following the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the process of desegregation was met with many obstacles & detours. Ineffective desegregation strategies, with the goal of maintaining segregation, were attempted in the South. “White flight”, or the flight of white families from communities, occurred in response to school desegregation.

Fork in the Road Eliminating the Dual System of Education In the case Green v. County School Board of New Kent County, 391 U.S. 430 (1968), the New Kent County school board’s “freedom of choice” plan, which prolonged the dual system, was found to be ineffective. This case introduces the concept of “achieving unitary status.” Unitary status is defined as “a school system that has eliminated old racially segregated dual school systems.”

Bus Stop Ahead Busing of Students to Achieve Desegregation The redrawing of school district lines and busing of students to promote desegregation are results of Swann v Charlotte- Mecklenburg (N.C.) Board of Education, 402 U.S. 1 (1971). Courts were given the power to fashion remedies to implement racial segregation if school districts did not.

School Zoning & Mobile Classrooms One of the first cases of school segregation outside of the South involved a Denver, Colorado school district. Keyes v. School District No. 1, Denver, Colo., 413 U.S. 189 (1973) The district had attempted to segregate by “gerrymandering” student zones, building schools in certain areas, and excessively used mobile classroom units. The case held districts with no prior segregation statutes accountable for desegregation and limited the remedies that courts could fashion.

Stop That Bus Elimination of Suburb-City Integration Plan Desegregation of Detroit’s public schools was difficult because of the large African American population. The lower courts plan of busing students from the mostly white suburbs to the city, and students from the city to the suburbs was defeated by the Supreme Court. This decision prevented integration of city districts with suburban districts. Milliken v. Bradley, 418 U.S. 717 (1974)

Construction Zone Ends Remedies Constructed by Courts No Longer Needed Supreme Court rulings in 1991 & 1992 held that desegregation remedies of the courts should come to an end once a district has maintained desegregation and evidence of past discrimination was no longer present. The ruling made it easier for school districts to abandon court remedies. Oklahoma City Board of Education v. Dowell, 111 S. Ct. 630 (1991). Freeman v. Pitts, 503 U.S. 467 (1992).

Proceed With Caution Move Forward & Yield to Racial Discrimination The Supreme Court recently prohibited the use of race as the sole factor in the integration of public schools. The Court also declined to recognize racial balancing as a “compelling state interest.” They also recommended that schools use “race conscious” means to achieve diversity. The ruling allows schools to use race only in limited circumstances. Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, 551 U.S. _(2007). Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education, 551 U.S._(2007).

How Would You Pave the Road to Diversity? Think about strategies your school could use to achieve diversity. What other factors, besides race, could be considered? Discuss with your group the different strategies and alternatives that your school district might use.

Where Do Schools Go From Here? Is public education headed towards Topeka? Points to Consider: The denial of opportunities and resegregation are some of the fears that have been generated. The increasing number of Latino children in our public schools is also cause for concern. Teacher placement determined by racial balancing policies may be effected. Alternative ways of diversifying schools will be attempted. The discrimination of students, based on race, will no longer be accepted.

Much Work to be Done on the Road Ahead “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” Chief Justice Thomas in conclusion of his opinion in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No.1, 551 U.S. (2007). America’s public schools have evolved from an era of racial segregation to an era of racial discrimination as a result of desegregation efforts. The shortcomings and the benefits of desegregation were carefully considered in the Supreme Court’s recent decision to use race in only limited circumstances. The controversy from this decision has caused much debate and concern. This concern indicates America’s refusal to accept segregation. Public school’s now have the task of diversifying schools with race being a non factor. Hopefully, this will be the end of racial discrimination in public education.

Lost? What questions do you have?