Use Court-Mandated Integration AND School Choice for Improved Education Opportunity for Children of Color

Hugh B. Price writes that the Supreme Court's view that racial integration and diversity constitute a compelling state interest at the collegiate level, is even more convincing in the case of public schools.

Looking to the future, the U.S. economy will rely increasingly on minority workers, entrepreneurs and taxpayers who represent a growing segment of the population. Yet black and Latino pupils in particular are concentrated in the nation's lowest-performing schools, with the least able teachers and the most inadequate facilities.

Surely, student assignment policies that enable them to attend good schools where they can maximize their talent and potential easily meet the test for a compelling state interest.

While I'm sympathetic to the notion of using the courts to pry open racially exclusionary public schools, its potential as a remedy is limited due to the dearth of quality schools in minority heavy school districts.

Attempting to integrate crapping schools has been a trillion dollar bust!

A more promising approach would be to eliminate racially exclusionary practices while opening up opportunities across all of K-12 education (including school districts, charter schools and private schools) would have a much greater impact.