A complex new study strengthens the case for racially balanced schools—and uncovers additional advantages for students of all ethnicities.
Two years ago, I published a report showing that schools in San Francisco were becoming increasingly segregated by race. In the public debate that followed, no one disputed the facts. However, I was struck by the apathetic, and even hostile, responses from many readers.
Some simply didn’t see the problem. “Folks will do what’s best for them and their kids,” commented one person. “They are not all that interested in partaking in your Utopian dreams.” Others seemed to feel that diversity and educational excellence were incompatible goals. As another reader wrote: “When the No. 1 Goal is Diversity, rather than excellence in science, mathematics, history, foreign languages, or even literacy you can understand why people leave America’s public schools in droves.” To read more from Jeremy Adam Smith, click here.