Today's integrated schools
Description:
Jan von Mehren talks to members of the racially diverse Boston Student Advisory Council. Von Mehren notes that these high school students grew up in integrated schools. The students discuss school desegregation and today's integrated schools. The students discuss racial tension in the schools today. Several of the students say that racial tension does exist in today's schools. One student says that the actions of a few students can create an atmosphere of racial tension. One student recalls his memory of the busing crisis. Another says that she has friends of all ethnicities and races. One adds that integrated schools can conquer ignorance. The students discuss the benefits of attending integrated schools. Von Mehren's report is accompanied by a clip from Eyes on the Prize II.
1:00:05: Visual: Footage of Ted Donlan (student from West Roxbury) imitating an Eddie Murphy comedy routine in front of other members of the Boston Student Advisory Council. The students are of mixed races. The students laugh at Donlan's routine. Jan von Mehren reports that the Boston Student Advisory Council is a group which represents students in the Boston Public School System. Von Mehren reports that students today are educated in a desegregated school system; that the students do not know a lot about Boston's experience with school desegregation in the 1970s. V: Footage of South Boston High School in 1974 from Eyes on the Prize II. Von Mehren reports that Donlan remembers a photograph. V: Footage of Donlan speaking in front of the other members of the Boston Student Advisory Council. Donlan says that he remembers a photo of a white man battering an African American man with the American flag. Donlan says that it is horrible to see the American flag used as a weapon; that the American flag is a symbol of equality and racial peace. Shot of another student in the group. Footage of Thembi Costa (student from Roxbury) says that administrators always talk about the racial breakdown of the student population. Costa says that she never understood why it was important. Shots of other students in the group. Von Mehren reports that the busing crisis seems like ancient history to these students; that they go to school in desegregated classrooms every day. V: Shot of von Mehren sitting with the students. Footage of Benitha Harris (student from Dorchester) says that she has friends of all races and ethnicities; that she never knew South Boston existed before she went to her present school in 1987. Shots of other students in the group. Footage of Alfred Esposito (student from Brighton) saying that one Latino student was able to create a war within the school a few years ago. Esposito says that the student has left the school; that the school is now peaceful. Esposito says that one person can create a lot of strife. Footage of Walter Bonilla (student from Roslindale) says that there is tension in the air; that "there is more talk than action." Footage of Donlan saying that racial tension is never out in the open; that it is apparent when students divide up into groups. Donlan says that white students stick together; that African American students stick together; that there are whispers of tension. Footage of Costa saying that she once saw some white supremacist graffiti; that she was frightened. Footage of Harris says that she was once insulted by a carload of whites while waiting at a bus stop. Shots of the group of students; of individual students. Von Mehren reports that the students do not want to return to segregated schools. V: Footage of Costa saying that ignorance causes fear. Costa says that students need to learn about other races and cultures. Footage of Donlan saying that he recently acted in a play with a racially diverse cast of performers. Donlan says that integrated schools are working; that there is still some work to be done. Shots of the students.
1:00:05: Visual: Footage of Ted Donlan (student from West Roxbury) imitating an Eddie Murphy comedy routine in front of other members of the Boston Student Advisory Council. The students are of mixed races. The students laugh at Donlan's routine. Jan von Mehren reports that the Boston Student Advisory Council is a group which represents students in the Boston Public School System. Von Mehren reports that students today are educated in a desegregated school system; that the students do not know a lot about Boston's experience with school desegregation in the 1970s. V: Footage of South Boston High School in 1974 from Eyes on the Prize II. Von Mehren reports that Donlan remembers a photograph. V: Footage of Donlan speaking in front of the other members of the Boston Student Advisory Council. Donlan says that he remembers a photo of a white man battering an African American man with the American flag. Donlan says that it is horrible to see the American flag used as a weapon; that the American flag is a symbol of equality and racial peace. Shot of another student in the group. Footage of Thembi Costa (student from Roxbury) says that administrators always talk about the racial breakdown of the student population. Costa says that she never understood why it was important. Shots of other students in the group. Von Mehren reports that the busing crisis seems like ancient history to these students; that they go to school in desegregated classrooms every day. V: Shot of von Mehren sitting with the students. Footage of Benitha Harris (student from Dorchester) says that she has friends of all races and ethnicities; that she never knew South Boston existed before she went to her present school in 1987. Shots of other students in the group. Footage of Alfred Esposito (student from Brighton) saying that one Latino student was able to create a war within the school a few years ago. Esposito says that the student has left the school; that the school is now peaceful. Esposito says that one person can create a lot of strife. Footage of Walter Bonilla (student from Roslindale) says that there is tension in the air; that "there is more talk than action." Footage of Donlan saying that racial tension is never out in the open; that it is apparent when students divide up into groups. Donlan says that white students stick together; that African American students stick together; that there are whispers of tension. Footage of Costa saying that she once saw some white supremacist graffiti; that she was frightened. Footage of Harris says that she was once insulted by a carload of whites while waiting at a bus stop. Shots of the group of students; of individual students. Von Mehren reports that the students do not want to return to segregated schools. V: Footage of Costa saying that ignorance causes fear. Costa says that students need to learn about other races and cultures. Footage of Donlan saying that he recently acted in a play with a racially diverse cast of performers. Donlan says that integrated schools are working; that there is still some work to be done. Shots of the students.
