Keung Hui of the News & Observer writes,
Wake County’s schools became more racially segregated over the past decade as the number of high-poverty schools increased despite the school district’s nationally recognized diversity policy, according to a study presented Sunday at a national conference.
The University of Georgia professors who worked on the study tracked how the number of schools not meeting the district’s diversity goal has more than tripled. They found that lack of political will and explosive growth limited the district’s ability to carry out the policy.
“The people who moved into the area were not as committed to the diversity policy,” said Sheneka Williams, who co-authored the study. “The political will wasn’t there.”
I do not buy the thesis that carpetbaggers were to blame for the districts inability to maintain busing targets. The researchers fail to make the case that the “people who moved into the area” actively opposed busing efforts. After all, voters continued to elect pro-busing candidates throughout the high growth years.
Anyway, I mentioned the above study in October.
In a September 11, 2009 memo from Assistant Superintendent David Holdzkom to Superintendent Del Burns, Holdzkom lists external research projects approved and not approved by his Evaluation and Research office. Holdzkom’s office did not approve a project on race, class, and student assignment proposed by Sheneka Williams of the University of Georgia.
Did you really think Holdzkom would approve any study of the so-called “successful” busing policy?
