I have tried to read all of your posts but admit to skimming some. Forgive me if I am repeating or missing something.

Q - Your assumption, that "the full impact of Court decisions made in far-off Washington was not felt." is wrong. Many people, mistakenly, would agree with you. In Seattle, there is a very well established African American community that spans four or five generations.

I was in high school when the first Black students were bussed in and I taught in that school twenty years later. I have now experienced the way Vancouver, B.C. handles the 'multicultural' mix. There are pros and cons of both.

Yes, the problem of segretation in Seattle in the 60's was acute. This was mainly because the neighborhoods were segregated from each other along racial lines. Franklin (which was the mentioned above) was neither 'Black or White'. It was the 'Brown' school. That doesn't seem to have changed much.   

Thomas was full of shit when he said, "Simply putting students together under the same roof does not necessarily mean that the students will learn together or even interact. Furthermore, it is unclear whether increased interracial contact improves racial attitudes and relations."

It definitely improved racial attitudes and relations. In addition, it changed the demographics of the entire city. The neighborhoods in Seattle became more integrated. Although Blacks were leaving the 'ghetto', Whites were still reluctant to live in Black areas of town but they left the areas where their Elementary kids were subject to bussing. Although the changes were imposed and the results were not the same as projected, racial attitudes definitely changed as people mixed more freely.

In order to achieve integration in the schools, it was thought that 'bussing' students would be the answer. I applauded that decision and was one of the designated student 'hosts'. It was not easy to be taunted and spat upon by the Whites who opposed integration but I endured and learned from the experience. Happily, twenty years later when I returned, the school was fully integrated and Black and White students readily mixed in apparent oblivion to how it had been accomplished. Racial integration was taken for granted.

The down side was that my daughter lived in a neighborhood that was bussed into a Black elementary school. The way the bussing plan worked was that the Black Pimary students (K-3) were bussed into the White schools and the White Intermediate (4-6) students were bussed into the Black schools. Although I certainly did not object to my daughter going to schools with Blacks, I did not like the fact that she spent 30 minutes (both ways)on the bus at such a young age. I thought that Black mothers felt the same way about their babies (K-3)who endured the same journey but at an ven younger age. In fact, I thought it was interesting that school system imposed this journey on Black students during the younger years. This, in itself, was a form of dicrimination.

Most young children need to attend schools in their neighborhoods, close to home, so that their parents can be actively involved in their child's education. If there is opportunity, it is also best if the kids go home for lunch. If there are 'problems' at school (academic or behavioural) its best if the parents can be readly contacted and present if necessary to 'nip it in the bud'. Bussing made all of this impossible. Emotionally, I think its very hard on little kids to leave their neighborhood and attend school in a 'strange' place. It induced a sense of fear and isolation at a very young age.

So, hmmm, maybe, at this point, it is no longer necessary to impose bussing. Maybe its time to look at a new model.

In Vancouver, you are entitled to attend your neighborhood school if you wish. If you want to attend another school (for whatever reason) you must apply, get on the waiting list and wait for an opening. If you have an older sibling already attending the 'out of boundary' school, you are bumped to the top of the list. The exception is the French Immersion schools - everyone waits in line after the French as a first language, students.

Both of my kids attended their neighborhood schools as elementary students, here in Canada. In high school, they chose 'out of boundary' schools according to their particular needs and interests. High school students in Vancouver are highly mobile and different high schools offer specialized programs within the standard curriculum. Its not a racial situation, its based on the needs of the student.

So...as usual, the U.S. seems to have thrown the baby out with bathwater. What is really needed is to take a new and better approach. Seems to me that the solution lies locally and better funding for alternatives needs to become available. This recent ruling will only make the educational crisis in the U.S. more acute. It doesn't solve anything. If the problem is schooling, then fund the schools so that they can solve the problems! If the problem is housing, then fund affordable housing in all neighborhoods. Mixed income housing leads to racially integrated schools.

PHEW! Why do I bother?

When will the States begin to open their eyes and hearts? Is it really a lost cause? It makes me so happy to live in a civilized country. Moving to Canada was the best choice I ever made.