The goal - academic proficiency

The 1954 US Supreme Court decision in "Brown vs. Board of Education" overruled the established concept of "separate but equal." The court held that public schools segregated by law are unconstitutional. As might be expected, many school districts failed to comply with this ruling. A number of law suits were filed because of this recalcitrance. A law suit in Boston forced the establishment of busing in 1974 to desegregate the public schools.

Now, almost 30 years after busing began in Boston, a shift in demographics has accomplished what the best laid plans of high priced lawyers failed to do. The growth in the black, Latino and Asian population has eliminated the possibility of racial balance in the public schools. Only 25.4 percent of the under 18 population in Boston is white. However, because about half of white children attend private school, the white population in public schools has shrunk.

According to a recent study published by the Civil Rights Project of Harvard University only 13.6 percent of the public elementary school enrollment in Boston is white. Almost half (49.4 percent) of the students are black, 28.7 percent are Latino, 7.9 percent are Asian, and 0.5 percent are designated other, which usually means black. Clearly, Boston schools can never be racially integrated. There will never be an adequate number of white students to achieve a reasonable racial balance.

One legacy of the Brown vs. Board of Education case is that many misunderstand the scope of the ruling. The Court held only that it is unconstitutional for school districts to establish student assignment plans to achieve racial segregation. There is no duty to achieve racial balance when the demographics make such goals unachievable. "De facto" segregation which results from massive minority populations living in ethnic neighborhoods is not unconstitutional.

Racially integrated schools are no longer a possibility for Boston. But that does not mean that Boston public schools can not be first rate. It is not necessary for black and Latino students to be sitting next to whites in order to achieve academic proficiency. For decades historically black colleges have been graduating academic stars. The same is possible in Boston.

Now it is more important than ever that black and Latino leaders become involved in the education process to assure that our children receive the best education to achieve proficiency.

Article copyright The Bay State Banner.