Getting around Brown. Desegregation, Development, and the Columbus Public Schools. Urban Life and Urban Landscape Series

Getting Around Brown is both the first history of school desegregation in Columbus, Ohio, and the first case study to explore the interplay of desegregation, business, and urban development in America. Drawing on a broad range of sources, including over sixty interviews, the book details the causes and consequences of Penick v. Columbus Board of Education (1977). Gregory S. Jacobs argues that school desegregation in Columbus failed to produce equal educational opportunity, not because it was inherently detrimental to learning, but because it was incompatible with urban development. As a consequence, the long-term health of the city school district was sacrificed to preserve the growth of the city itself. The resulting middle-class abandonment of urban education in Columbus produced an increasingly poor, African-American city school system and a powerful form of defensive activism within the overwhelmingly white suburban systems. The title of the book refers not only to the elaborate tools used to circumvent the spirit of the Supreme Court's landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision but also to the need to move beyond the flawed dichotomies and failed policies that have come to define desegregation. The book calls for a reconsideration of the complicated relationship race, class, and housing patterns have with city school reform efforts, a relationship obscured by this country's vitriolic and occasionally violent battle over busing. Jacobs concludes his study with a “modest proposal,” in which he recommends the abolition of the Columbus Public School District, the dispersal of its students throughout surrounding suburban systems, and the creation of a choice-based “experimental education zone” within the old city school district boundaries. Readable and relevant, Getting around Brownis essential reading for scholars of recent American history, urban studies, civil rights and race relations, and educational policy, as well as anyone interested in public education and politics. Drawing On A Broad Range Of Sources, Including Over Sixty Interviews, Gregory S. Jacobs Argues That School Desegregation In Columbus Failed To Produce Equal Educational Opportunity, Not Because It Was Inherently Detrimental To Learning, But Because It Was Intrinsically Incompatible With Urban Development. The City's Uneven Response To Penick V. Columbus Board Of Education [1979], The Case That Brought Desegregation To The Columbus Public Schools, Ultimately Sacrificed The Long-term Health Of The City School District To Preserve The Growth Of The City Itself. The Resulting Middle-class Abandonment Of Urban Education In Columbus Produced An Increasingly Poor, African American City School System And A Powerful Form Of Defensive Activism Within The Overwhelmingly White Suburban Systems. The Title Of The Book Refers Not Only To The Elaborate Tools Used To Circumvent The Spirit Of The Supreme Court's Landmark 1954 Brown V. Board Of Education Decision But Also To The Need To Move Beyond The Flawed Dichotomies And Failed Policies That Have Come To Define Desegregation. The Book Calls For A Reconsideration Of The Complicated Relationship Race, Class, And Housing Patterns Have With City School Reform Efforts, A Relationship Obscured By This Country's Vitriolic And Occasionally Violent Battle Over Busing. Jacobs Concludes His Study With A Modest Proposal In Which He Recommends The Abolition Of The Columbus Public School District, The Dispersal Of Its Students Throughout Surrounding Suburban Systems, And The Creation Of A Choice-based Experimental Education Zone Within The Old City School District Boundaries. Getting Around Brown Is A Text For Scholars Of Recent American History, Urban Studies, Civil Rights And Race Relations, And Educational Policy, As Well As Anyone Interested In Public Education And Politics. 1. A Problem For Our Community: Segregation, Litigation, And The Path To Penick -- 2. What We Must Do, We Must Do Well: Implementation, Desegregation, And The Divided Role Of Mcsc -- 3. Like Squeezing The Center Of A Balloon: Busing, Housing, And The Consequences Of The Common Areas -- 4. Epilogue: Demoralization And Decline. Gregory S. Jacobs. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 273-284) And Index. Getting Around Brown is both the first history of school desegregation in Columbus, Ohio, and the first case study to explore the interplay of desegregation, business, and urban development in America. Drawing on a broad range of sources, including over sixty interviews, the book details the causes and consequences of Penick v. Columbus Board of Education (1977). Gregory S. Jacobs argues that school desegregation in Columbus failed to produce equal educational opportunity, not because it was inherently detrimental to learning, but because it was incompatible with urban development. As a consequence, the long-term health of the city school district was sacrificed to preserve the growth of the city itself. The resulting middle-class abandonment of urban education in Columbus produced an increasingly poor, African-American city school system and a powerful form of defensive activism within the overwhelmingly white suburban systems. The title of the book refers not only to the elaborate tools used to circumvent the spirit of the Supreme Courts landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision but also to the need to move beyond the flawed dichotomies and failed policies that have come to define desegregation. The book calls for a reconsideration of the complicated relationship race, class, and housing patterns have with city school reform efforts, a relationship obscured by this countrys vitriolic and occasionally violent battle over busing. Jacobs concludes his study with a modest proposal, in which he recommends the abolition of the Columbus Public School District, the dispersal of its students throughout surrounding suburban systems, and the creation of a choice-based experimental education zone within the old city school district boundaries. Readable and relevant, Getting around Brown is essential reading for scholars of recent American history, urban studies, civil rights and race relations, and educational policy, as well as anyone interested in public education and politics. This study argues that the desegregation of the Columbus (Ohio) public schools failed to ensure equal educational opportunity not because it was inherently detrimental to learning, but because it was intrinsically incompatible with the city's steady geographic and economic growth. Even before the beginning of busing in 1979, the threat of desegregation had redefined the parameters of single-family home building in the city, turning the boundaries of the Columbus school district into a residential development redline, and moving the resources that follow new home building further from the city's center. The gradual abandonment of urban education in Columbus has resulted in both the concentration of the poor and African American students within the central city school district and the emergence of a politically powerful form of defensive activism in the area's overwhelmingly white suburban school systems. The following chapters are included: (1) "'A Problem for Our Community': Segregation, Litigation, and the Path to 'Penick'" ("Penick" was the Columbus schools desegregation case); (2) "'What We Must Do, We Must Do Well': Implementation, Desegregation, and the Divided Role of MCSC" (Metropolitan Columbus Schools Committee); (3) "Like Squeezing the Center of a Balloon: Busing, Housing, and the Consequences of the Common Areas"; and (4) "Epilogue: Demoralization and Decline." Information was drawn from more than 60 interviews plus other sources. (Contains 2 maps, 1 table, and 215 references.) (SLD)