Let’s stop pretending we desegregated schools
Summary
Gene Demby discusses the difficult choices Black parents face regarding school choice, contrasting his sister’s decision to send her daughter to a private school with his own choice of a Title I public school. The conversation is framed by Nicole Hannah-Jones’ recent essay on sending her daughter to an underfunded neighborhood school. Guest Noliwe Rooks, author of *Integrated*, shares her personal experience with failed desegregation and argues that systemic neglect, not individual choices, drives the crisis in Black education.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Total Wine & More
Introduction: Hosts and their school choices
Navigating private vs. public school options
Analysis of Nicole Hannah-Jones' NYT essay
The skepticism of Black parents opting out
Sponsor: Cure Alzheimer's Fund and NPR
Promo: Up First podcast story
Guest background: Integration in 1970s Florida
Personal impact of underfunded Black schools
Policy failures and the legacy of Brown v. Board
Ruby Bridges vs. modern individual choices
Does wealthy Black enrollment help schools?
The trade-offs: Community vs. resources
Guest's son's experience in middle school
Examining current school proficiency data
Historical models of successful Black education
Conclusion and guest bio
Credits and sponsor announcements
Listen ad-free on Castria