Discuss the “Desegregation-An End to Busing” scenario as listed at the bottom of pg. 347 and the top of pg. 326 in your Essex text. Use the Discussion Questions to guide your discussion.
Essex Text APA Citation: Essex, N. (2012). School law and the public schools. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Eduction.
From the Essex text pg 326:
Case Study: Desegregation- An End to Busing
An affluent school district was subject to a court-ordered desegreation plan involving busing. After receiving the court order recognizing that the district had achieved **unitary status**, the district decided to discontinue elementary school busing and move toward a neighborhood plan that would bus 6th graders to a middle school. Parents and citizens challenged the end of elementary school busing, alleging that it would recreate segregated schools.
Discussion questions:
1. Do parents & citizens have a valid claim?
2. Are the district’s actions designed to create segregated schools?
3. Does the district have a right to discontinue elementary school busing and implement a neighborhood plan after it has achieved unitary status?
4. Did the district use its new status to engage in de jure segregation? Why or Why not?
5. How do you think the court would rule in this case? Provide a rational for your response.
6. What are the administrative implications of this case?
