Forced school segregation

2015
united states

Forced school segregation refers to the policy or practice of separating students based on their race or ethnicity in educational institutions. This policy was prevalent in many countries, including the United States, during the period of racial discrimination and segregation known as Jim Crow.

Under forced school segregation, students of different races were assigned to separate schools, often resulting in unequal access to resources, facilities, and educational opportunities. This policy was enforced through legislation, court rulings, or societal norms that mandated or supported racial segregation.

In the United States, forced school segregation was most evident in the southern states, where African American students were denied equal access to education. The landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education (1954), declared that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal and violated the Fourteenth Amendment. This ruling marked a significant turning point in the fight against forced school segregation in the US.

Despite legal efforts to end forced school segregation, its effects still linger in some areas. Today, racial disparities in education continue to exist, with systemic barriers impacting the academic achievement and opportunities of minority students. Efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools remain ongoing to combat the effects of past forced school segregation.

Further reading

Porter J.R.; Bratter J.L. (2015) "Investigating Race, Class and Context through Historical Evidence: Segregation and the Ecology of Aspirations of Black College Students in the 1960s South", Sociological Spectrum, 35(3), pp. 286-308. Bellwether Publishing, Ltd.. DOI: 10.1080/02732173.2015.1021061