Pratt describes 1960s Richmond as having Black schools that were overcrowded and white schools that were not filled to capacity\u2014 all of which were all overseen by a Richmond Public School System (RPS) that used discriminatory practices to keep black children in inadequate, segregated schools (Pratt, 36).\u00a0 Meanwhile, RPS used the Pupil Placement Board (PPB) as a crutch to deflect blame for their delay in fulfilling the Brown ruling.<\/p>\n
John and Joe both highlight the impact that residential segregation had on school segregation; Pratt weaves this connection through all three chapters.\u00a0 One such example of school segregation based on residential segregation is the feeder system that existed in Richmond.\u00a0 Typically, white middle schools \u201cfed\u201d white high schools and black middle schools \u201cfed\u201d black high schools. \u00a0As John points out in his timeline, in March 1963, this feeder system was abolished. \u00a0As a result, a new \u201cfreedom of choice\u201d plan was established that technically allowed any student to transfer to any school she wanted if she could support the reasoning.\u00a0 However, Pratt argues that despite the new fa\u00e7ade of choice, black students still had to filter through the racist PPB.\u00a0 In addition, the problem of segregated teachers along race lines was not addressed. Even after Brown was 11 years old, RPS was still fighting to maintain school segregation by enacting school reform policies that used residential discrimination.<\/p>\n
Caitlin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pratt describes 1960s Richmond as having Black schools that were overcrowded and white schools that were not filled to capacity\u2014 all of which were all overseen by a Richmond Public School System (RPS) that used discriminatory practices to keep black … Continue reading