Masters Thesis

How Brown became color blind: school desegregation, resegregation, and educational reform

In this study, I review the history of school desegregation, the attempts to integrate schooling, and propose renewed efforts in this direction. I begin with the promises of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) ruling and an analysis of evolving contemporary segregation patterns. I then provide an overview of the ways in which the failure of the courts, housing segregation, and community resistance have contributed to the continuation of segregated schooling. I next review the current role of privatization within the education reform movement, focusing on school choice policies, and analyze the ways in which these policies contribute to contemporary issues of segregation. I conclude by providing policy suggestions that could, despite the obstacles that have emerged since Brown, continue to make integrated schools a reality in many communities. These include joint efforts to desegregate schools and housing, controlled choice diversity programs, and an increase in magnet schools and dual immersion programs.

Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.