Why Should We Care About Integrating Schools?
American public schools are largely segregated by race and income: The National Center for Education Statistics cites that 52 percent of black students and 58 percent of Latino students attend schools at which 75 percent or more of students are minorities. This perpetual divide reflects segregated housing patterns across our country, among other factors. Why should we care, and what should we do about it?
The United States is rapidly becoming a majority-minority country. Learning certain skill sets is imperative in order to live and work successfully with people who look different from ourselves, and it is critical that we begin to deliberately prepare our young people for this reality. Effectiveness in our colleges and universities, our workplaces, and in public leadership will require it. These skills are already a precondition for effective international work in our increasingly global economy. The benefits of integrated schools go well beyond the