Tenth Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research: A New Civil Rights Agenda for American Education. (August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Orfield, Gary
• Is Part Of: Educational researcher. Volume 43:Number 6(2014)
• Page Start: 273
• Page End: 292
• Publication Date: 2014-08
• Subjects: civil rights -- demography -- education reform -- liberalism -- resegregation -- social policy -- Supreme Court; Education -- Periodicals; Education -- United States -- Periodicals; Education -- Research -- Periodicals; Education -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 370.72
• DOI: 10.3102/0013189X14547874
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-189X

Abstract

This article reviews the impacts of the civil rights policies framed in the 1960s and the anti–civil rights political and legal movements that reversed them. It documents rising segregation by race and poverty. The policy reversals and transformation of U.S. demography require a new civil rights strategy. Vast immigrations, the sinking White birthrate and massive suburban change means it must be multiracial and metropolitan and reflect the huge increase in students from language-minority homes. School policy must be linked with social and economic policy. Housing integration is critical since residence is often destiny for children of color. Researchers are key participants in developing new policies and explaining possibilities for positive change within a stalemated political and legal system. The article outlines essential components of a new civil rights policy.