This book examines the history of the school desegregation movement in St. Louis, Missouri. Underlining the 2014 killing of Michael Brown as a catalyst for re-examination of school desegregation, Rias delves into the connection between contemporary school segregation and social justice, probing the ways that soft racisma term the author uses to describe the non-violent, yet equally harmful, types of protests that opponents of desegregation utilizedhas permeated St. Louis since the days of Brown v. Board of Education. The chapters feature the voices of those who were central to the desegregation fight in St. Louis, showing how the devastating effects of school segregation and soft racism linger today.

Explores the history of race relations in Missouri in the context of school segregation policies Provides a nuanced look at the role that the courts played in the creation of effective school desegregation policy in St. Louis Features interviews with key witness to St. Louis school desegregation, including Susan Uchitelle, an early architect of the school desegration program in St. Louis Draws comparisons to school desegregation programs in other cities like Chicago, Boston, and Little Rock

Autorentext

Hope C. Rias is Assistant Professor of Education at Bridgewater College, USA. Her research and teaching interests include the development of anti-racist curricula and training pre-service teachers to use culturally relevant pedagogy.

Inhalt

1. Why Desegregation Still Matters.- 2. Soft Racism? How Complicating Interpretations of Racism Impact School History.- 3. Historic Patterns of Soft Racism, Symbolic Violence, and Dignified Disdain for Blacks.- 4. With Justice and Equality for Some- 5. It Takes a Village.- 6. Protecting White Innocents and White Innocence.- 7. History Repeats Itself: The Perils of Normandy High School.