Integration of Public Schools - Essay Example

?Harris Kamran English Literature Analytical Paper 28 July Integration of Public Schools: An Analysis The late 1900s and especially the decades of 1960s (“Desegregation”) and 1970s witnessed a great upheaval in the social set up of the United States in the form of the great Civil Rights movement (“Desegregation”). Although this movement had been picking up pace since the late 1800s (“Desegregation”) and the early 1900s, it wasn’t till the late twentieth century that the general public and the legal bodies of the states started considering it a poignant issue (“Desegregation”). The reason for this lay mostly in the fact that it was at this time that this movement spread to the northern States (“Desegregation”), and it was there that it was officially incorporated into the legal and governmental framework. There were many aspects to that movement, and it addressed a varied assortment of issues. This paper purports to analyze the issue of desegregation of the public schools in the 1960s, and the reasons behind its support and opposition, by considering different possibilities for the behavior of the general public and the government regarding this historical change in the educational system. Although, considered in the context of the present day society, it seems unethical to consider the possibility of opposing the movement for desegregation, and, indeed, it seems hardly plausible that such an opposition could exist, it is imperative to keep into consideration the social, political, and legal set up of the pertinent historical period before any judgments are made. There were, in fact, two parties to the case, and each of those parties had their reasons for acting the way they did. The following is an analysis of those possible reasons. In the postwar era of the World War II, there was a mass movement of the African American population from the southern States to the north (“Desegregation”). This had several socioeconomic factors as its basis. The northern states, being more developed and industrially advanced than the southern states, had more opportunities for employment and decent salaries (“Desegregation”), and a lifestyle much better than that afforded in the south. There was also less political turmoil in the northern states at that time, as compared to the political uprisings in the south; indeed, the Civil Rights movements for the rights of the African American population commenced from the southern states, which witnessed repeated protests, movements, walks, and boycotts (“Desegregation”). The northern states provided a much more peaceful and politically tranquil environment for the African American families to settle. There was also the attraction of better educational opportunities for their children (“Desegregation”). Although the constitution had afforded ‘separate but equal’ (Riley) laws, this segregation posed a lot of hindrances in the advancement of education for the students, especially the African American students, who could only attend schools in their own neighborhoods that were secluded from the white majority areas (Riley). There was a need for integration of both communities, so that education, both in the classroom and in the playground, could be properly imparted (Riley). In light of several amendments in the constitution (“Desegregation”), the government was also beginning to view the segregation as an unconstitutional act (“New Orleans”). It was no surprise, then, that the Civil Rights movement would address the desegregation of public schools. On the other hand, there were the anti-desegregation groups, which were largely formed by the white supremacist members (“Desegregation”). It was no surprise that the white community would react against such rulings by the court. It was largely accepted as law to discriminate on the basis of color and ethnicity, as there was no constitutional ruling as yet to mark such actions as unlawful (“Desegregation”). Indeed, it was stated in the constitution of South Carolina: ‘separate schools shall be provided for children of the white and colored races, and no child of either race shall ever be permitted to attend a school provided for children of the other race’ (Riley). However, more than legal, this matter was handled in terms of the social norms of that time; it was expected of the two communities to live separate, distinct lives (“Desegregation”). The sudden movement of the African American population from the southern states into states like Wisconsin (“Desegregation”), who’s percentage of the African American population increased by six hundred percent in a span of twenty years (“Desegregation”), caused unforeseen circumstances for the white population, which often reacted violently against the integration protests (“Desegregation”). These movements were considered a matter of the southern states (“Desegregation”), and suddenly the northern states were exposed to them as well (“Desegregation”). When this protest expanded to the newly desegregated schools, the parents preferred to send their children elsewhere rather than expose them to the politically charged environment of the public schools (“New Orleans”). Indeed, many school boards, like ‘Orleans Parish School Board’ (“New Orleans”), managed to elude the court decision of desegregation for many years by filing for trials, in order to maintain their all-white population (“New Orleans”). Social change, and such a drastic change at that, takes time and effort to come into place, and prove fruitful. To expect people to redesign their thinking patterns to incorporate new social laws and ideals overnight is close to a fantasy; indeed, with time, the African American population was eventually integrated into the white society, starting with the denouncement of slavery (“Desegregation”), and extending to the desegregation of the educational system. Works Cited “Desegregation and Civil Rights.” Wisconsin Historical Society, n.d. Web. 28 Jul. 2011. “New Orleans school integration.” Civil Rights Digital Library, 11 Jul. 2011. Web. 28 Jul. 2011. Riley, Nichole. “Fort Jackson led the way in 1960s school desegregation” U.S. Army, 26 Feb. 2006. Web. 28 Jul. 2011. “The Aftermath.” The Library of Congress, 23 Jul. 2010. Web. 28 Jul. 2011. Read More