Good evening class,

The Boston Busing Crisis was an intense period in the city’s history, full of violence and racial tensions. However, in the long run I think the busing policy played a crucial role in desegregating Boston’s public schools, providing equal educational opportunities for minority students, and set the stage for racial healing and an improved racial climate in the 21st century.

Firstly, the busing policy directly challenged the de facto segregation that was widespread in Boston’s public schools. By physically transporting students from racially similar neighborhoods to schools in different parts of the city, the policy ensured a more racially diverse student body in many schools. This increased diversity provided minority students with access to better resourced schools and a more unbiased education.

Secondly, the busing policy forced a public confrontation with the issue of racial segregation in education. The violent protests and heated debates that the policy sparked brought national attention to the issue and highlighted the need for further reforms. This public reckoning with racial inequality in education laid the groundwork for future efforts to promote racial equity in Boston’s schools.

Finally, while the busing policy initially made racial tensions worse in Boston, it also set the stage for racial healing and an improved racial climate in the long run. The policy forced people from Boston to confront the city’s racial divisions head on, convincing them to promote racial understanding in the city in the 21st century. Today Boston’s public schools are more racially diverse than they were before the busing policy was enforced, and the city has made remarkable strides in addressing racial inequality in education.

So, while the Boston Busing Crisis was a disturbing period for the city’s history, the busing policy the sparked the crisis played a crucial role in promoting racial desegregation and equality in education. This can still be seen in Boston’s public schools today as the city continues to promote racial equality in the city.

In response to your peers, explain what you learned from reading their post and how their thesis statement compares to your own. You may respond to peers who selected either of the two thesis statements.