Sociology 3901: Worksheet--Eyes on the Prize: Keys to the Kingdom, part I

1. What was the policy of the Boston Superintendent of Schools, the Boston school committee, and chairmen Louise Day Hicks regarding school segregation? How did they deal with a state law forbidding racially imbalanced schools?

2. How did the conflict over school segregation reach Boston? What were the schools that were ordered to integrate, and what neighborhoods were affected? How did South Boston react?

3. What happened to the black students bused into Boston South High School? .

4. How did President Ford respond? What about federal judge Garrity?

5. How many white students left the Boston public schools? What was the atmosphere for black students who were bused into South Boston High?

II. Sociology 3901: Groups--"The Keys to the Kingdom"

1. Why do you think efforts at desegregating Boston's schools were met with white violence?

2. What did you learn in high school about the civil rights movement and white resistance to that movement? Who determines the curriculum, and what would be the pros and cons of giving more coverage to social movements of this sort in our high school curricula?

3. Imagine yourself a member of a minority group in a thoroughly racist and segregated society. Could you picture yourself taking part in the first integration of a high school or a university? Why or why not?

4. What and why would be your best guess about the current state of school integration in Boston?