Economic Integration

Check this out (from an article in the New York Times):

A school board election will take place in October. While the board has continued to endorse economic integration, some supporters worry that that could change one day.

"It's not easy and it can be very contentious in the community," said Walter C. Sherlin, who retired two years ago as an associate superintendent. "Is it worth doing? Look at 91 percent at or above grade level. Look at 139 schools, all of them successful. I think the answer is obvious."

This is great! A public initiative backed by research into student performance that seems to be wildly successful (40%->80% grade-level scoring among black students over the last decade, 79%->91% overall). And, unlike race-based busing, this doesn't suppose that your performance is the result of your race (which is an internal factor that you have no control over) but rather your economic situation (which is an external factor over which you have some control). I hope that the parents of the 2.5% of children who are involuntarily bussed don't become such a vocal minority that this stops happening.