Reviews the educational and legal history of Black education; criticizes the emphasis on achievement scores as a predominant variable in the measurement of such programs; and states that conclusions about Black enrollment, retention, and successful matriculation are generally positive. (Author/MLF)

Summarizes the steps taken to document the racially-related resource disparities in the Los Angeles school system. Schools were classified by racial/ethnic mix, per pupil spending levels were related to the mix, and the distribution of teacher resources was examined. (IRT)

In McCrary v. Runyon, the Court of Appeals confronted the racially exclusive admissions policies of two private, segregated schools, each of which relied entirely on tuition and private donations for its operations. The court was unpersuaded by the schools' claim of constitutional protection. The significance of the decision is discussed. (LBH)

Examines a grassroots African American movement to reestablish a historically black high school closed during desegregation. Analysis of written documents and interviews with former students and community members indicates that establishment of the school was contentious. Highlights the paradox of desegregation for African American communities,…

Uses interviews with 454 children, aged seven to 12 years, in five Amsterdam neighborhoods to explore whether differentiation and segregation are vital dimensions of children's experience in Amsterdam. Results indicate big differences in children's experiences, but the city's population is so diverse it is difficult to draw conclusions about the…

Three articles examine whether school choice will undermine the common culture. The first remembers the author's own historical and literary educational canon. The second worries more about the current crop of state tests than the effects of school choice. The third predicts that choice is less harmful to the culture than are the effects of…

Information regarding the 1964 Civil Rights Act, its value and importance in the elimination of state-imposed school segregation is described. The 1964 granted the US Attorney General the power and authority to bring suits on behalf of the African American plaintiffs in thousands of school districts operating racially segregated public elementary…

May 17, 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the most significant school segregation case: "Brown v. Board of Education" (1954). While the Brown decision eliminated the legal theory of "separate but equal," the success of the "Mendez et al. v. Westminster School District et al". (1946) case helped boost public sentiment against segregation, setting…

Chronicles the history of two Ohio Valley school districts. The creation of one black and one predominantly white district is a history of segregation, while the merger of the two 20 years later tells a story of desegregation. Primary and secondary historical data provide accounts from various perspectives of school segregation and desegregation,…

This article describes three women who hold prominent places in the history of the United States. They are: (1) Linda Brown, the symbol of "bringing down segregation" in U.S. schools; (2) Rosa Parks, the mother of the Civil Rights Movement; and (3) Coretta Scott King, an accomplished musician and singer. These women hold their places in…

The purpose of this study is to expand the definition of adequacy by adding soft skills as a measure of school productivity. The singular focus on academic standards inherent in education policy has prevented scholars from seeing the concept of adequacy through myriad perspectives and has contributed to a resegregation of schools. Education policy…

This document is a transcript of a Congressional hearing on race relations and adolescents. The impetus for much of the testimony is the worsening climate of race relations in the United States, represented by recent violent incidents involving youths. The witnesses were a varied group of social scientists, politicians, and educators who have…

The Brown Decision, whose 50th Anniversary was observed in 2004, was a landmark case that ended the doctrine of separate but equal. During the observation of the anniversary, many pundits reflected on the political, social, and historical significance of Brown. This article takes a different approach in reflecting on the importance of Brown. A…

Extensive excerpt from the U.S. District Court ruling on parents' charges that a junior high school in Brooklyn, New York was segregated. In addition to the school board being ordered to prepare a desegregation plan, housing and other municipal authorities were ordered to take steps which would have a favorable impact on school board efforts to…

This booklet contains two papers: (1) "Federal Agencies and Urban Segregation: Steps Toward Coordinated Action," by Gary Orfield; and (2) "Mounting a Concerted Federal Attack on Urban Segregation," by William L. Taylor. In the first paper, racial, economic, and educational trends in urban areas are reviewed. Lack of Federal commitment,…