Boston elite launches attack to resegregate schools

In 1974, Boston became synonymous with racism, as images of white gangs throwing stones at school buses carrying African-American schoolchildren flashed round the world. It took a national civil rights march of 25,000 people with buses from all over, including the Deep South, to turn the tide of racism and defend the right of the African-American community to equal education access by whatever means the community chose.

With schools completely segregated and unequal, Boston’s African-American community chose desegregation. And since 1974, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 8751, the Boston School Bus Drivers Union, has been providing safe, reliable transportation to support that choice.

But the racist forces and the business establishment of Boston have never given up the goal of returning to racist, resegregated “neighborhood” schools where all the resources are reserved for the white neighborhoods.

They tried it in 2004, proposing to replace the existing three-zone system, which allows parents access to a wide range of schools, with plans for much smaller zones limiting access to quality schools. The community organized, fought back and stopped the plan, with leadership from the Black Educators’ Alliance of Massachusetts, Work for Quality, City Councilor Chuck Turner, USW Local 8751, the International Action Center and others.

The School Bus Drivers Union gave thousands of leaflets to the children to take home, mobilizing at the 12th Baptist Church in Roxbury a mass outpouring of parents who vented their anger in rejecting the plan. The parents showed that since 1974, multiple schools in communities of color have been shut down, torn down or converted into condos or private businesses. Consequently there are not adequate seats in the community schools, nor is there adequate access to advanced classes and quality educational programs.

Last year when the mayor declared war on the African-American community by demanding an end to school transportation, the community was again able to beat back the attack.

This time the full weight of the business and political establishment has joined in, using racism to attempt to force the weight of the economic crisis onto the backs of communities of color. The school department is packaging the attack on school transportation as part of a series of budget cuts, including school closings and teacher and other education worker layoffs.

The Boston Globe, the Herald and the Boston Phoenix all released editorials demanding an end to school transportation. They led off with an op-ed by Theodore Landsmark, who was made famous in a 1974 picture depicting an attack on him by an anti-busing racist with an American flag. The Globe reran the picture alongside his article saying it was “time to end” school transportation in support of parent choice. (Jan. 31)

The community is calling for parents to come out to the department’s budget hearing on March 10 at English High School, 144 McBride St. in Jamaica Plain to make clear that denying access to equal quality education is not an option.

The issue will also be taken up at the New England Fightback Conference, being held by the Bail Out the People Movement on Feb. 28 at the School Bus Union Hall, 25 Colgate Rd. in Roslindale.