Desegregated Schools: An Intimate Portrait Based on Five Ethnographic Studies.

This is a summary and synthesis of five ethnographic studies of desegregated schools over a period of about two years. It seeks to determine whether the desegregation process in the public schools has resulted in integration. (Desegregation and integration are seen as distinct phenomena, with integration defined as the attaining of, and respect for, cultural diversity in the educational setting.) To determine to what extent integration has taken place, the report analyzes five schools in communities with different economic, social, and geographic characteristics. It is reported that in these schools, desegregation occurred, but not integration; as white students declined in numbers, resegregation emerged. The relationship of the schools to their districts and community, the role of principals, and attitudes on race and education are also discussed. Student behavior, attitudes, and activities are analyzed to determine their relationship to racial cooperation and respect for different life styles. Also included are three critical essays that interpret the main body of the report and apply it to other specific situations, and several bibiliographies. (WP)