The Trials of Desegregation

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Throughout history, starting with the Fourteenth Amendment and Civil Right Movements opinions vary of the role desegregation has played in American Schools. With the beginning of desegregation came many changes, not only for students and parents but also many school districts and cities. One of the many beliefs is that desegregation helped abolish racial imbalance in school children. An abundance of theories exist as to the success of desegregation. Desegregation was introduced into the school for the purpose of bringing equality in education, but along with this idea came many hurdles including highly controversial theories, racial tension, and lasting social affects Brown ll describes an idea in which schools and courts were responsible for creating a united educational system. Schools had been ordered to do away with the “segregated or duel” systems that they were using (Citizen Guide to Desegregation 4). With this order also came the belief that desegregation was far beyond just black and white but more about equality in education. An unknown author’s belief on the topic was that ‘“desegregation refers to the removal of both legal and social practice’” (Levinson 141). Some believed the myth that African American children were slower academically than white students. When in fact ‘“black student achievement increases, sometimes at a faster rate than white student achievements, and sometimes to the point that differences in the performance levels of the two races disappear”’ (Williams). Along with desegregation came the opening and closing of numerous schools throughout the United States. The white community seemed to control the construction of new schools; whereas, the black schools were dismantled without input from... ... middle of paper ... ...ogy: an Encyclopedia. New York: RoutledgeFalmer, 2002. Print. Callahan, Jody. "Brown sisters explain 1954 Supreme Court civil rights case: Pair to dispel myths of landmark case." Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN) 04 Feb. 2010: Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. Williams, Jaun. "Support for Desegregation Declines, Study Says." The Washington Post 19 Jan. 1985. Print. William Kelley, et al. "The Consequences of School Desegregation in a Kansas Town 50 Years After Brown." Urban Review 40.1 (2008): 76-95. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 22 Feb. 2011 Goodman, Irv. "Public Schools Died Here." Saturday Evening Post 234.17 (1961): 32-89. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. MINOR, LLOYD B. "From Desegregation to Diversity and Inclusion." Vital Speeches of the Day 77.1 (2011): 33-35. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

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