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Brown in Baltimore: School Desegregation and the Limits of Liberalism, Baum (2010)

A historical analysis of school desegregation and its limits in liberal America, referencing Baum's work on Baltimore.

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    E LED 201 Desegregation Questions Brown in Baltimore: School Desegregation and the Limits of Liberalism , Baum (2010) Reading: Brown in Baltimore: School Desegregation and the Limits of Liberalism , Baum (2010). Read the entire chapter and a nswer these q uestions : A . What is free choice enrollment? Why do you think that the administrators chose this approach? What were the advantages and disadvantages for Baltimore, according to Baum? Did it work? Free choice enrollment was a policy where students could choose which schools to attend rather than being assigned based on their neighborhood or race. The idea was to provide families with the flexibility to select schools based on personal preference rather than racial quotas or geographic location. Administrators likely chose this approach because it was seen as a more flexible, "liberal" alternative to forced busing or other more direct interventions. It was hoped that it would ease racial tensions while still allowing for desegregation, as it didn't directly force students into integrated schools. According to Baum, the advantages of this system were that it allowed for some form of desegregation without the resentment that forced busing often provoked. It also preserved a sense of parental control and individual choice. However, the disadvantages were significant. It resulted in white families often using their privilege to choose schools that remained predominantly white, while African - American students had fewer choices and were more likely to end up in underfunded, predominantly black schools. This system didn’t lead to substantial desegregation in Baltimore and, ultimately, it failed to address the inequalities in education that existed. B . Baum states “Segregation isolated black children in school s where they often had fewer learning opportunities than whites. Particularly if they were poor, they were unlikely to have the attributes that that middle - class parents want for their children’s classmates …” What examples are provided of these attributes? Do you think these are attributes are solely desired by the middle - class? Why or why not? The attributes Baum refers to include traits like being "well - behaved," "academically prepared," and possessing an "intact" family structure. These are qualities that many middle - class parents look for in their children's peers to ensure a stable, supportive, and conducive learning environment. These attributes are not solely desired by the middle class ; they are idealized qualities that many parents, regardless of class, may desire for their children. However, the middle class is more likely to have the means (such as access to resources, better neighborhoods, and educational opportunities) to emphasize these attributes in their children's education. For

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