Forced to Fail: the Paradox of School Desegregation.

Forced to Fail: The Paradox of School Desegregation

by Stephen J. Caldas and Carl L. Bankston, Rowman and Littlefield Education, Lanham, Md., 2007, 255 pp. with index, $22.95 softcover

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Is the return to neighborhood schools one way to reduce the paradox of school desegregation in America? Stephen J. Caldas, a professor of educational foundations and leadership at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Carl L. Bankston, a professor of sociology at Tulane University, believe it is.

In their book Forced to Fail: The Paradox of School Desegregation, the authors describe what they call a "new paradigm" that recognizes "there are benefits to allowing neighborhood schools."

Caldas and Bankston describe the side effects of the destruction of communities and neighborhoods as a result of school desegregation policies. The authors discuss the breakdown of what they call "social capital," or the relationships between parents and children and among groups of parents working together for the betterment of the local school and neighborhood. Among the benefits of social capital are parent volunteerism and fundraising activities in public schools. These efforts were frequently negated by desegregation orders that resulted in "forced busing" and white flight.

What might the public do to help? One factor in retaining the neighborhood public school and encouraging parents to remain in the neighborhood would be a highly paid and well-qualified professional teaching staff. Other actions to keep parents in neighborhood schools include building new facilities, renovating deteriorating school plants and reducing class size. These recommendations have been supported by educators for many years.

Caldas and Bankston are hopeful authors. They comprehend the issue that schools should no longer be used as the places to reform and redesign society. They believe, however, that schools can bring families together and help build strong communities. They are convinced the best way to do this is to return to the social institution--the neighborhood school.

Reviewed by William J. Leary, professor of education, Lynn University, Boca Raton, Fla.