Description
Possibly essentially the most spectacular reaction to court-ordered busing within the 1970s occurred in Boston, where there was once intense and protracted protest. Ron Formisano explores the sources of white opposition to school desegregation. Racism was once a key factor, Formisano argues, but racial prejudice by myself can not give an explanation for the movement. Class resentment, ethnic rivalries, and the defense of neighborhood turf all played powerful roles within the protest.
In a new epilogue, Formisano brings the story as much as the present day, describing the end of desegregation orders in Boston and other cities. He also examines the nationwide trend toward the resegregation of schools, which he explains is the results of Supreme Court decisions, attacks on affirmative action, white flight, and other factors. He closes with a brief have a look at the few school districts that have attempted to base school assignment policies on class or economic status.