Truth, Learning, and Change

Friday, June 21st marks the 39th anniversary of Morgan V. Hennigan

Morgan V. Hennigan is the federal court order given by Judge W. Arthur Garrity to desegregate Boston’s public schools. To kick off our countdown to the 40th anniversary of school desegregation in 2014, we are posting some resources and learnings about this court order. Below, you can read our Project Director Donna Bivens’ thoughts and reflections on what we’ve learned and intern Fabrice Montisol’s summary of the actual Garrity Decision. This section also includes:

– resources on the order, including a link to the full order and a summary of the order we’ve put together; If you haven’t read it we

– Voices from our story collection – people’s reflections on what the order meant from their perspective

(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT “39 Years Later”)

In March, the Boston School Committee voted to change the way that students are assigned to schools. Donna and I followed this process closely and found that the most striking parallel between then and now is that parents and students continue to struggle for equity and quality, and school assignment continues to be an inadequate frame for addressing these concerns. BBDP learning network member Barbara McQueen weighed in in the Boston Globe:

For years, black students had been denied equitable educational opportunities. For the city and for individuals, discrimination and the violent response to desegregation efforts resulted in significant losses; for many, the traumatic effects linger. This legacy is an essential part of the back story to attempts to revise the student assignment plan.

The Union of Minority Neighborhoods’ Boston Busing/Desegregation Project aims to bring this back story to the front, and to continue the unfinished work of ensuring that all of Boston’s children have access to high-quality schools.

While Donna and I each read  statements to the Boston School Committee expressing concerns about the deep underlying issues brought to the fore by discussions of school assignment but rarely addressed and concluding:

As the 60^th anniversary of Brown vs. the Board of education and the 40^th anniversary of Boston’s busing/desegregation crisis approach, BBDP calls on the School Committee and all of us committed to race and class equity, democratic access and demands for excellence to take the risks we need to take to get them.

After our story circle in Brighton we asked the folks who were there if anyone wanted to write up their reflections. Two people very kindly obliged us and we are long overdue in posting them. Here is the first, by Emily Berg:

Thoughts on the Brighton Story Circle

by Emily Berg

I dropped out of the sky into this meeting, having just met up with the Busing/Deseg History project, so I had no idea what to expect.  What I found was a group of maybe 25 people, of various ethnicities and ages, who brought and shared some delicious food and then stayed for 2 hours more to talk about their recollections and/or evaluations of that turbulent history.  And of course the discussion moved, at times, to broader issues related to racism and power, including immigration.  Due to the size of the group and the fact that we didn’t have all week, the topics raised could not be discussed in depth; at several points in the conversation, however, people spoke bravely and honestly about things that are so “touchy” that they don’t often get talked about.

A white man who had been a student at the time talked about the racial fights in school, saying that they were absolutely unavoidable, no matter how much you wanted to avoid them; he commented that he was at times “saved” by his Puerto Rican friends, because they were not seen as black or white.  He had gone to an integrated elementary school (the Trotter) and did not expect to have trouble – but he did.  Another white man, who had been a teacher at South Boston High, said the situation there was “a mess;” and that it was often impossible for education to go on.

A younger black man, at the time a resident of Columbia Point project, remembered his parents talking about the violence, and wondered whose fault the violence was: did it bubble up from below or was it created and led by politicians?  And is racism actually weaker now, or are racists just “more conniving?”  A white woman who was a school bus driver at the time noted that noise, of which there was plenty, does not necessarily equal chaos.  There was some back-and-forth discussion about Irish culture, or maybe cultures; an Irish-American woman said that she had been raised to fear South Boston and would never have dared to go there.  A couple of people said that immigrants – including immigrants of color – often seem to believe (and are they correct?) that part of becoming American is to “buy into” racism.

So many more things were said!  Several people gave little personal histories of their thoughts, feelings and actions during that time; perhaps a greater number said very little but listened closely (I was among them).  Many people brought the discussion into the present, by talking about how the past events (whether they were involved in them or just read about them) influenced their later life choices. 

The evening was at the same time fascinating, moving, and unsatisfying; it brought many questions to mind, and began to discuss a few but answered none.  The seriousness and honesty – and kindness –  people brought to the discussion was awe-inspiring and touching.  There will probably never be one united, accepted opinion about the busing crisis and its results, but there doesn’t have to be.  What we need is more talking and especially more listening; more conversations like that story circle.

After our story circle in Brighton we asked the folks who were there if anyone wanted to write up their reflections. Two people very kindly obliged us and we are long overdue in posting them. Here is the first, by Naama Goldstein:

Naama Goldstein is a writer living in Allston

On February 28th. BBDP held the second pilot story circle at Charles Street A.M.E. Church.  Trina Jackson facilitated and another amazing space was created to share, listen and learn.  As Trina, Meghan and I were debriefing we couldn’t help notice how different the stories are depending on location and those present.

In Brighton, a theme of immigration and of  how ethnicity/nationality among white people shaped and impacts our history emerged.  At this one in Roxbury, stories of activism, of the impact of loving teachers and of the power of strong community were themes.

Another interesting thing, was hearing people tell stories who had attended the first one and returned for this one. Each circle evokes different stories for the individual and  for the collective and coming more than once can only deepen the experience.

If you, your organization or community is ready to sponsor a story circle, let us know.  Not only will you help BBDP but we’re convinced it will enrich you individually and collectively as well. Below are some of the short stories from the 28th (the first group includes stories of those who weren’t involved in the busing/desegregation crisis due to age and/or location. The second group is those who were here and involved):

So my experience in the BPS was having a community that taught me that it was okay to resist and rebel. Lisa Owens 

There was a Black teacher and I’d never expected to see a Black teacher in this white school. Trina  Jackson 

I learned English in six months because I was surrounded by complete love and I was completely focused on learning how to speak to my teachers. Sayra Pinto 

Her first experience with prejudice was here in teh NOrth. According to her experience, Boston was supposed to be the epitome of American ideals. Will Henry, Jr.

I would describe our experience as one of  political activism. Dolores Goode 

It almost didn’t matter where you were. There was a level of activism that was going on every where.  Jacqui Lindsay 

For me, the story was the level of Black activism there was in terms of resisting certain kinds of changes that were happening around integrating the schools and the real commitment to us taking control of the education of  our kids’ education. Curdina Hill 

On a frigid night in February, twenty five people came out to be a part of our first official story circle at the Brighton Allston Congregational Church–a BBDP partner organization. It was a wonderful evening of listening, learning and building on the work of the first phase of the project.

Below are some of the voices from our first pilot story circle that made the evening so special. Your thoughts and stories in response are welcome and deeply appreciated.

As I saw the conflict, it was a cultural conflict and it was a struggle for resources—educational resources in the city. Armando Martinez  

I began to realize that there are structures for emotion—it’s not totally chaotic. Cassie Quinlan  

The thing I noticed about Boston was that from what I could see on the Boston University campus, it was a really white campus. It was  a really white city.  Ava Chan

 

I realized at one point that the Domino affect still runs through all of us.  Allentza Michel 

We also heard how bad it was in Boston..In Kentucky, we heard about how bad it was up here  – Trina Jackson .

 I wanted to find out a little bit more about the background that you feel as a newcomer that you didn’t experience directly. Naama  Goldstein and 7 yr old son