Ann Arbor, Michigan: an Historical Analysis of Board of Education Decisions on School Desegregation Issues.

Abstract

Purpose of the Study. This study focused on the history of the Ann Arbor Public School System's desegregation and school attendance decisions, from the Brown decision to the present. The purpose was to write an historical analysis of Board of Education decisions regarding racial balance and imbalance in Ann Arbor Public Schools. Specifically, the Board of Education, the administration, and the community were studied concerning four historically relevant decisions: (1) The closing of Jones School in 1965; (2) New building sites in the years 1965-1976; (A) Bryant/Clinton; (B) Logan/Northside; (3) Employment practices; i.e., hiring of and placement of minority staff, 1969-1978; and (4) The busing of North Campus children, 1970-1978. Methodology. Background information on school desegregation in three perspectives was first presented. This included historical information, research findings on methods and results of school desegregation, and a study of local Michigan districts which have undergone court-enforced desegregation. Four questions were developed to provide a focus for historical analysis of the Ann Arbor Board of Education's decisions: (1) What was the situational environment in which each decision was made by the Board of Education? (2) How did the community react to the Board of Education's decision? (3) Was the effect of each decision more or less segregation in the Ann Arbor Public Schools? (4) Did choices or options exist to the Board of Education at the time of the decision which would have possibly resulted in a less segregated situation? Findings. In all instances of new school openings, more rather than less segregation followed the Board's decision. The Jones School closing was found to be the last major decision that led to purposeful desegregation. Placement of academic staff, in particular, added to the inbalance in several elementary schools. In the 1977-78 school year, the Michigan State Board of Education categorized Ann Arbor's school system as racially imbalanced, and requested action on the part of local authorities to rectify this situation within 90 days. The Ann Arbor Board's progress toward the achievement of voluntary desegregation has included the appointment of a citizens' committee. The author concludes that the Board's voluntary commitment to take action to improve racial balance is a wise and proper course of action, since possible implications of past actions could be used in a court case against the system.