Ron Brownstein of The National Journal writes that this spring marks
two milestones in the history of American public education – the 60th
anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision ending school segregation
in the Brown vs. Board of Education case, and the end of a white majority in
America’s student body.
two milestones in the history of American public education – the 60th
anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision ending school segregation
in the Brown vs. Board of Education case, and the end of a white majority in
America’s student body.
That’s right – June will mark the completion of what is
likely to be the last school year ever in which a majority of America’s K-12
public school students are white.
likely to be the last school year ever in which a majority of America’s K-12
public school students are white.
Here is a portion of Brownstein’s description of the evolving
demographics and the growing doubts that desegregation still works as intended
in 21st Century classrooms:
demographics and the growing doubts that desegregation still works as intended
in 21st Century classrooms:
“Brown‘s core
mission of encouraging integration can best be defined as unfinished. Many
civil rights advocates, such as Gary Orfield, co-director of the Civil Rights
Project at UCLA, argue that after gains through the late 1980s, the public school
system is undergoing a “resegregation” that has left African-American
and Latino students “experiencing more isolation … [than] a generation
ago.” Other analysts question whether segregation is worsening, but no one
denies that racial and economic isolation remains daunting. One recent study
found that three-fourths of African-Americans and two-thirds of Hispanics
attend schools where a majority of the students qualify as low-income.
mission of encouraging integration can best be defined as unfinished. Many
civil rights advocates, such as Gary Orfield, co-director of the Civil Rights
Project at UCLA, argue that after gains through the late 1980s, the public school
system is undergoing a “resegregation” that has left African-American
and Latino students “experiencing more isolation … [than] a generation
ago.” Other analysts question whether segregation is worsening, but no one
denies that racial and economic isolation remains daunting. One recent study
found that three-fourths of African-Americans and two-thirds of Hispanics
attend schools where a majority of the students qualify as low-income.
“… The National Center for Educational Statistics
recently projected that minorities will become a majority of the K-12
public-school student body for the first time in 2014—and that majority will
steadily widen. As recently as 1997, whites represented more than three-fifths
of public school students. This transformation isn’t just limited to a few
immigration hubs. Minorities now represent a majority in 310 of the 500 largest
public-school districts, federal statistics show.”
recently projected that minorities will become a majority of the K-12
public-school student body for the first time in 2014—and that majority will
steadily widen. As recently as 1997, whites represented more than three-fifths
of public school students. This transformation isn’t just limited to a few
immigration hubs. Minorities now represent a majority in 310 of the 500 largest
public-school districts, federal statistics show.”
