Desegregation, neighborhood schools face off as Racine Redraws School Boundaries

Dani McClain:

More than 100 Racine residents gathered Tuesday to hear panelists debate the merits of desegregation vs. neighborhood schools.

The forum, sponsored by the Racine Taxpayers Association, comes as the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates on school desegregation battles in Louisville, Ky., and Seattle, and as the Racine Unified School District decides how to redraw its own district boundaries for next year.

"Desegregation in Racine and throughout the nation has failed based upon the mechanism used, which is busing," said County Supervisor Ken Lumpkin, who publishes a black community newspaper called Insider News.

Mattie Booker, who taught in the Racine Unified School District in the days before desegregation, argued that transporting students is necessary to achieve equityThe forum, sponsored by the Racine Taxpayers Association, comes as the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates on school desegregation battles in Louisville, Ky., and Seattle, and as the Racine Unified School District decides how to redraw its own district boundaries for next year.

"Desegregation in Racine and throughout the nation has failed based upon the mechanism used, which is busing," said County Supervisor Ken Lumpkin, who publishes a black community newspaper called Insider News.

Mattie Booker, who taught in the Racine Unified School District in the days before desegregation, argued that transporting students is necessary to achieve equity

Posted by Jim Zellmer at January 10, 2007 6:14 AM
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