The Unexpected Legacy of School Busing: A Shift in Political Attitudes

A Controversial Policy Revisited

The 20th-century saga of school busing is often framed as a resounding failure. Images of white flight, fierce political backlash, and persistent segregation dominate the narrative, seemingly confirming the policy's futility. Indeed, concerning statistics reveal that school segregation has actually worsened in recent decades. A 2020-21 GAO report showed over a third of students attending highly segregated schools, and research indicates a stark decline in Black students enrolled in majority-white schools since 1988. But what if this bleak picture isn't the whole story?

A Unique Experiment in Louisville

Economist Ethan Kaplan's research on the 1975 court-ordered busing program in Jefferson County, Kentucky, offers a compelling counterpoint. Unlike many one-way programs focusing solely on busing Black students to white schools, Jefferson County implemented a two-way system, shuffling both white and Black students between urban and suburban schools. The program's quasi-random assignment, based on students' last initials, presented a unique opportunity for researchers to explore the long-term effects of this social experiment.

Surprising Political Shifts

Kaplan's findings challenge conventional wisdom. White students bused to predominantly Black inner-city schools developed significantly more liberal economic stances decades later, exhibiting increased support for the Democratic Party, redistributive policies, and unions. Surprisingly, this shift wasn't primarily driven by altered racial attitudes but rather by firsthand exposure to the stark realities of underfunded urban schools.

The Power of Childhood Experience

This research highlights the potent influence of adolescence in shaping adult political identities. The busing program, despite its unpopularity, seems to have fostered a deeper understanding of social inequality among white students. Witnessing the disparity in resources between schools likely contributed to their evolving political views. Kaplan suggests that children's political opinions are far more malleable than previously thought.

"Political opinions are much more malleable when you're younger… It's a very intense experience,” explains Kaplan.

Beyond Race: A Class-Contact Hypothesis?

Intriguingly, the study found little evidence of altered explicit racial attitudes among bused students. This suggests a different dynamic at play. Kaplan posits a "class-contact hypothesis," proposing that exposure to different socioeconomic realities, rather than racial interaction alone, drove the observed political changes. This raises important questions about the relative influence of class and race in shaping political views.

The Debate Continues

While Kaplan's work sheds new light on the legacy of school busing, the debate surrounding its effectiveness continues. The study acknowledges limitations, particularly regarding the potential for selection bias in survey data and the complex interplay of factors influencing political attitudes. However, it undeniably prompts a re-evaluation of a controversial policy and highlights the enduring power of childhood experiences in shaping our political landscape.