The Ugly Return of School Segregation
Although racial segregation has been outlawed for more than 50 years, de facto segregation is appearing in schools across the country. As the Washington Post reports, a white flight in school transfers taking place in one rural Mississippi school district is creating “racially identifiable” schools, in the words of one federal judge. In requesting the transfers, parents often said they felt “more comfortable” with their students moving to a predominantly white school. There are signs that this kind of segregation is becoming a nationwide trend.
Our definition of racial equality is when children’s outcomes in life can’t be predicted by their skin color. Clearly we still have a long way to go toward that goal. To learn more about work on racial equity by Voices and partners like the Annie E. Casey Foundation, visit our equity and diversity page.
Comments
February 8, 2011 at 10:03 pm by Teresa R. HernandezYes I agree some parent choice schools or charter schools are actually creating segregated schools based on social-economic status. We are in effect creating a two tier caste system of public education in America.
July 23, 2011 at 6:10 pm by RI do think, however, that we have to take the parents’ motivations into account. If they simply want their children to be around other children who are similar in educational achievement and they just happen to be White, is it fair to accuse them of racism? Likewise, if (remember that I used that word!)the majority of behavioral problems are caused by Black students and parents want teaches to be able to focus on teaching, not disciplining, perhaps this explains the pullout of White children.
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