Race and Segregation in American Schools

EDTHP 115EDTHP 115

Spring, 2003Spring, 2003

What is Segregation?

de jurede jure (“by law”) segregation (“by law”) segregation Segregation mandated by lawSegregation mandated by law Southern StatesSouthern States Outlawed by Outlawed by BrownBrown decision (1954) decision (1954)

de factode facto (“in fact”) segregation (“in fact”) segregation Segregation not mandated by lawSegregation not mandated by law Resulting from school assignment policies & Resulting from school assignment policies &

residential patternsresidential patterns Still commonStill common

Key Supreme Court Decisions on Segregation Plessy v. Ferguson Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)(1896)

Established doctrine of “separate but Established doctrine of “separate but equal” (segregation is legal, as long as equal” (segregation is legal, as long as facilities are equal)facilities are equal)

Brown v. Board of EducationBrown v. Board of Education (1954) (1954) ““doctrine of separate but equal has no doctrine of separate but equal has no

place” in US schoolingplace” in US schooling

Key Supreme Court Decisions on Segregation (cont.) Green v. County School Board of New Kent Green v. County School Board of New Kent

County County (1968)(1968) Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of

EducationEducation (1971)(1971) Both decisions enforced Both decisions enforced BrownBrown, ordered , ordered

school districts to use a variety of school districts to use a variety of methods to eliminate segregationmethods to eliminate segregation

Key Supreme Court Decisions on Segregation (cont.) Milliken v BradleyMilliken v Bradley (1974) (1974)

Disallowed most inter-district Disallowed most inter-district desegregation effortsdesegregation efforts

Board of Education of Oklahoma City Board of Education of Oklahoma City Public Schools v. DowellPublic Schools v. Dowell (1991) (1991)

Freeman v PittsFreeman v Pitts (1992) (1992) Both reduced desegregation requirements Both reduced desegregation requirements

for districtsfor districts

Racial Segregation in Public Schools, 1997-98

0-10% 10-20% 20-30% 30-40% 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% 90-100%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Perc

en

tag

e o

f S

tud

en

tsof

Sp

ecifi

c R

ace

Percentage White in School

White

Black

Hispanic

R2 = 0.65

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Black Proportion of School-Age Population

Whi

te P

riva

te E

nrol

lmen

t Rat

e Observed Values

Fitted Curve

White Private School Enrollment Rates by Black School-Age Population,

Southern Counties, 1990

What Causes School Segregation?

What Causes School Segregation?

PreferencesPreferences Race-specific preferencesRace-specific preferences

ResourcesResources Income, wealth, social networksIncome, wealth, social networks

ConstraintsConstraints School and housing policies, discriminationSchool and housing policies, discrimination

Housing SegregationHousing Segregation

Does Segregation Matter?

Educational ConsequencesEducational Consequences Race & InequalityRace & Inequality Resources in SchoolsResources in Schools

Social ConsequencesSocial Consequences AttitudesAttitudes ContactContact

Atlanta, Percent Black, 1970

Atlanta, Percent Black, 1980

Atlanta, Percent Black, 1990

Atlanta, Percent Black, 2000

Philadelphia, Percent Black, 2000

Desegregation and ‘White Flight’

Move to suburbsMove to suburbs Moves to private schoolsMoves to private schools

R2 = 0.25

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Black Proportion of School-Age Population

Whi

te P

riva

te E

nrol

lmen

t Rat

e Observed Values

Fitted Curve

White Private School Enrollment Rates by Black School-Age Population,

Southern Counties, 1970

R2 = 0.65

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Black Proportion of School-Age Population

Whi

te P

riva

te E

nrol

lmen

t Rat

e Observed Values

Fitted Curve

White Private School Enrollment Rates by Black School-Age Population,

Southern Counties, 1980

R2 = 0.65

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Black Proportion of School-Age Population

Whi

te P

riva

te E

nrol

lmen

t Rat

e Observed Values

Fitted Curve

White Private School Enrollment Rates by Black School-Age Population,

Southern Counties, 1990