Image from More Than One Struggle: The Evoulution of Black School Reform in Milwaukee by Jack Dougherty (a friend and fine historian).
In retrospect, I now realize that the urban school systems we used were engaged in a complex and persistent continuation of the resistance to Brown that characterized the public response since its inception. Rather than being engaged in systemic reforms to meet equity mandates, our school districts were escaping from more global equity initiatives through the development of small, selective choice programs. These programs were undermining the fabric of the common school ideal and silencing possible public conversation about serving the needs of all children in the district on an equal basis. Commitments to the most disadvantaged children were not honored, in my opinion, while new programs designed to attract privileged children became a priority.
Beatrice S. Fennimore, “Brown and the Failure of Civic Responsibility,” Teachers College Record.
These thoughts and this article should be part of the discussion begun in (Not?) Talking about Diversity and Boundaries, 2008 Style .
Thomas J. Mertz
AMPS 