Arrests highlight education busing issues
July 21, 2010 12:34 p.m. EDT
Police arrest protesters at a rally Tuesday afternoon in Raleigh, North Carolina.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Activists arrested protesting new education policy in North Carolina
- Wake County School Board recently voted to end "busing"
- "Busing" had been used to promote diversity in North Carolina schools
- The newly elected school board is in favor of community-based schools
(CNN) -- The arrest of 19 protesters at a rancorous school board meeting Tuesday, brings the issue of busing and diversity in education into the national spotlight.
The North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and local African Methodist Episcopal Zion Churches held a mass mobilization march Tuesday morning in Raleigh, North Carolina, to protest the Wake County Public School board's recent decision to end a 10-year-old socioeconomic diversity plan for public schools. The school board voted five to four on March 23 to end "forced busing," a method initiated in the 1970s to promote diversity in public schools.
Encompassing Raleigh Wake County School District is the the 18th largest school district in the nation.
Nearly 1000 people gathered at the Raleigh Convention Center and marched to the state capitol, including members of local church, community and advocacy groups, acccording to