Weblog 4: Spring Chapter 3

What caused the transition of schools going from integrated to segregated to integrated again?

Although for the most part unwillingly, attempts were finally made (moreso in the North than South) to educate African Americans and give them equal opportunities. To do this, slaves were integrated into schools but this motion did not last long. "It was immediately apparent that most Anglo-Americans were not going to accept integrated educational institutions." (p. 46) African Americans were treated poorly in the public school setting which affected their learning or made them not want to go to school. It became so bad that committees requested the development of separate schools for African Americans. "The African American community supported the segregated school as an alternative to the prejudice existing in the other white-dominated schools." (p. 48) Even though it was rejected at first, school committees opened a segregated school for just African Americans. Children were able to attend either the pubilc school or the segregated private school. While hoping that segregation would bring about a solution to the problems of education (for both Anglo- and African Americans), it actually made the situation worse. It was not long before African Americans discovered that they were not receiving the fair education they were hoping for. "The African American community realized that a segregated education was resulting in an inferior education for their children." (p. 48) Less skilled teachers and poor school conditions were among the problems that attributed to the poor education. Instead of receiving an equal chance at a high-quality education, without the worries of prejudice, African Americans were put in a low-quality learning environment. It was said that "segregated education in the city was a conspiracy by whites to keep blacks in a state of ignorance." (p. 49) To prevent this from happening, blacks fought hard to enforce fair opportunities in integrated schools. They felt that integration provided their best chance for a good education.