The Bus Kids: Children's Experiences with Voluntary Desegregation

224 Pages·2009·1.08 MB·English

by  Ira W. Lit

The Bus Kids
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The Bus Kids
I R A W. L I T
Yale University Press New Haven and London
Copyright © 2009by Ira W.Lit.
All rights reserved.
This book may not be reproduced,in whole or in part,including
illustrations,in any form (beyond that copying permitted by
Sections107and108ofthe U.S.Copyright Law and except by
reviewers for the public press),without written permission from
the publishers.
Set in Minion Roman by Integrated Publishing Solutions,Grand
Rapids,Michigan.
Printed in the United States ofAmerica by Sheridan Books,
Ann Arbor,Michigan.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lit,Ira W.
The bus kids /Ira W.Lit.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN978–0–300–10579–7(hardcover :alk.paper)
1.School integration—California—Case studies.
2.Kindergarten—California—Case studies. 3.Minorities—
Education—California—Case studies.I.title.
LC214.22.C2L58 2009
379.2'63—dc22 2008021447
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British
Library.
This paper meets therequirements ofANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992
(Permanence ofPaper).
It contains 30percentpostconsumerwaste (PCW) and is certified
by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Buddy for your inspiration;
To Elliot for your luminous mentorship;
and to my young friends in the Canford Program,
may your boldest aspirations be realized.
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
ONE Beginnings 1
TWO The Canford Program 16
THREE The Bus Kids 24
FOUR Friends 44
FIVE The Obstacle Course of Schooling 82
SIX Leopards and Chameleons 101
SEVEN The Grown-Ups 125
EIGHT Teaching Styles 148
viii Contents
NINE The Road Ahead 167
Appendix: Notes on Method 179
Notes 191
References 199
Index 207
Acknowledgments
The purpose ofresearch is to get smarter about the
world in order to make it a better place.
—Lee Shulman
his project is the result of a group effort.In my at-
tempts to produce a piece of scholarship worthy in
some small way of Lee Shulman’s grand vision, I
have relied heavily on the assistance,advice,moti-
vation,insight,wisdom,graciousness,hospitality,and partici-
pation of numerous others. I have learned a great deal from
this process,perhaps most notably that nothing of real value
can be produced alone.
To the Canford students,your kindergarten classmates in
the Arbor Town schools, and your Canford Program peers:
You have been the true inspiration for this work in more ways
than one.Your creative,enthusiastic,and undaunted approach
to schooling and the world is vitalizing.I am grateful to have
had the opportunity to explore your worlds with you.You have
taught me more than I could have anticipated. I hope that
through this work I have done justice to the valuable lessons
you have allowed me to share with others.