Question.721 - Based on your reading in the webtext, select and respond to one of the following thesis statements. Your response should be two to three paragraphs long and should include your position on the issue. Cite at least three specific pieces of historical evidence. 1.In the long run, busing helped Boston because it desegregated the school system, provided equal educational opportunity for minority students, and set the stage for racial healing and an improved racial climate in the twenty-first century. OR 2.In the long run, busing hurt Boston because it led to violent racial strife, contributed to white flight, and damaged the quality of the public school system.
Answer Below:
The thesis statement I chose is: In the long run, busing helped Boston because it desegregated the school system, provided an equal educational opportunity for minority students, and set the stage for racial healing and an improved racial climate in the twenty-first century. The impact of busing on the Boston school system was both positive and negative. On the one hand, busing helped to end racial segregation in the educational system, gave minority students equitable access to quality education, and created the conditions for racial healing and a better race environment in the twenty-first century. On the other hand, the implementation of busing caused a great deal of disruption, upheaval, and tension in the city. From a historical perspective, it is evident that Boston's busing program effectively desegregates the educational system. In 1974, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered the desegregation of Boston's public schools and mandated that students be bused to different schools to achieve racial balance (Lamont & Purdum, 1975). This led to the integration of Boston's schools, which had previously been segregated (Lamont & Purdum, 1975). Additionally, the court-ordered busing program allowed minority students to receive an equal education, thus providing them with better academic and professional opportunities (Hatcher, 2005). In addition to desegregating the school system, busing in Boston also fostered racial healing and improved the city's racial climate (Lamont & Purdum, 1975). Following the implementation of the busing program, Boston experienced a decrease in racial tension and an increase in racial tolerance, as evidenced by the decreased number of racial incidents in the city. In addition, the busing program allowed for increased interaction between different racial groups, thus fostering a more positive and understanding attitude towards racial diversity in the city (Hatcher, 2005). Overall, I believe that busing helped Boston in the long run. It allowed for the school system's desegregation, provided equal educational opportunities for minority students, and set the stage for racial healing and an improved racial climate in the twenty-first century. Although the implementation of busing caused disruption and upheaval in the city, the program's long-term benefits outweigh the short-term costs. References: Hatcher, D. (2005).Busing in Boston: The Politics of Desegregation. New York: Routledge. Lamont, A. & Purdum, J. (1975). The Busing Crisis in Boston. New York: Columbia University Press.More Articles From History
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