1970’s School Busing Goal

Equal education for all races was the goal. The statistics today of achievement by race are essentially unchanged from the 1970's. So, either busing didn't work or it was unnecessary.

It was unnecessary and known to be unnecessary in the 1970's. The true goal of Louisville busing was to financially bail out the city school system. This was done under the guise of court ordered busing, merging the county schools (88% white) with the city schools (35% black). The resultant black ratio was 17%. Over the next three years that grew to 19% because of "white flight" (white families moving to surrounding counties and private schools).

The unstated goal was societal tinkering. The theory was:

1)      By better mixing the races the children would learn tolerance.

2)      As adults they would better tolerate having mixed race neighborhoods.

3)      Racial based bias would fade away.

The first graders of that initial busing year are 41. Black children are still involuntarily bused more than white children. Most unincorporated Jefferson County neighborhoods are still less than 5% black. The predominately black neighborhoods have grown in area not shrunk. The merged school system needs more money.

I see no success from busing.  What have we learned?

·         Individual preference is subservient to the government.

·         You can't make peoples of different heritage voluntarily mix.

·         The school system will never have enough money.

There are 35 people in JCPS department called transportation. There are separate departments for bus maintenance and bus driver training. So what else is there for these 35 people to do except layout busing routes? Then there are the departments of demographics and diversity.  What is their purpose, other than continue failed policy connected to busing?

The State legislature wants to effectively end busing. The school system should embrace the idea. They can eliminate over 50 positions and move those resources to areas that are more important.