Chapter 2 (Pages 67-87)




The second half of chapter two depicts how desegregation of schools lead to the "white flight" of white residents in New Orleans. Although there wasn't much progress of desegregation, and if there was it occurred slowly, it still lead to mass hysteria and anger amongst white residence. They took this opportunity to remove their children from public schools and even leave the area entirely.  White people tried every effort to not allow their children to attend school with black children. Below are examples of this phenomenon occurring that were talked about in the second half of chapter two. 

  • In 1960 a poll for segregated schools was given to white residents and there was tremendous support to keep schools segregated. 60% of the poll wanted Louisiana to make a private school system as an alternative of desegregating public schools, but voters did not want this to increase their taxes.
  • By 1962 nearly half the white students attended still segregated Catholic schools.
  • By 1970 New Orleans population was under 600,000 residents, 43% of this population being black. The city went from the 15th largest city to the 19th largest city in the United States. 
  • New Orleans black residents were increasingly poor and secluded from whites who now primarily lived in the suburbs.
  • By 1970's the Orleans Parish school districts enrollment reached over 110,000 students, of these students approximately 30% were white. The percentage of white students would continue to decline over the next 10 years.
  • Between 1970 and 1980 white student enrollment in public schools in the district dropped from 40,000 to 15,000.
  • The percentage of white teachers dropped below 30% by 1980.

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