Educational freedom in urban America : Brown v. Board after half a century /

Salisbury and Lartigue, Jr. (Cato Institute) compiled conference papers that note that 50 years after Brown v. Board the performance of white, black, and Hispanic students is still unequal. The focus is on various kinds of choice-based arrangements. Fuller and Flake emphasize the need for options through vouchers, charter schools, and more choice. Robinson presents a comparative analysis of the fear-based choice movement of the 1950s to escape integration and the 1990s freedom-based choice movement as a remedy for the disparities between rich and poor students. Peterson concludes that vouchers alone will not bring about school choice. Lartigue and Johnson explore the use of vouchers, charter schools, and the Washington Scholarship Fund program in DC. Wearne, Salcido, Bositis, and Salisbury address school desegregation, the Cesar Chavez Charter School, African American parents' support of vouchers, and private schools. Hess closes with the help provided by choice to pressure public schools to improve. For a similar perspective, see Abigail Thernstrom Be the Dream: Prep for Prep Graduates Share Their Stories (CH, Feb'04). ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Practitioners and graduate students. N. L. Arnez emeritus, Howard University