jan 1, 1998 - Abolition of School Desegregation Plan

Description:

The Board of Education’s desegregation plan had previously been criticized by the Concerned African-American Parents (CAAP) of Westfield. The CAAP brought up concerns about the consequences of forced busing on the students, as well as the gap in academic success between minority and majority students, and the disproportionately growing rate at which African-American students were being placed in special education classes.

The desegregation plan was started in 1971 after the closing of the Columbus Elementary School, and then revised in 1980 after the Grant and Lincoln Schools closed. It involved a policy of bussing 37 students to Wilson,and Washington Elementary Schools, for the purpose of stronger racial integration.

However, the Board of Education’s Policy Committee recommended the end to the desegregation policy. Arlene Gardner, Chairwoman of the Committee, noted that because of the few number of students involved with the program, “the impact in terms of integration is minimal.” Additionally, the Board of Education claimed forced busing had actually decreased the social, emotional, and academic success of the minority students it was supposed to help, as it took children away from their familiar neighborhood schools to be placed in environments that they felt out of place in.

Instead, the Board of Education proposed that students who were a part of the desegregation policy would attend Tamaques School instead. The committee chose Tamaques School because other neighborhood schools, such as Jefferson and McKinley, were overcrowded. Additionally, at the time, Tamaques School was the only elementary school in the district to have two African-American teachers, which could play a role helping the students feel more comfortable there.

Added to timeline:

Date: