Equal Opportunity in the Fort Wayne Community Schools: A ...

LETTER OF TRANSMITTALINDIANA ADVISORY COMMITTEETO THE U.S. COMMISSION ONCIVIL RIGHTSMay 2, 1977MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONArthur S. Flemming, ChairpersonStephen Horn, Vice ChairpersonFrankie M. FreemanManuel Ruiz, Jr.Murray SaltzmanJohn A. Buggs, Staff DirectorSirs and Madam:The Indiana Advisory Committee submits this report on issues of equal educational opportunityin the Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) as part of its responsibility to advise theCommission about civil rights problems within this State.This report is a review of activity in the FWCS by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of theDepartment of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW); the Department of Justice; and the IndianaCivil Rights Commission (ICRC), from 1968 to the present. It also addresses recent FWCSadministration proposals for school reorganization and improved racial balance at the elementarylevel, and the reactions of the community to that plan.The Advisory Committee has found that, while racially identifiable junior and senior highschools have been eliminated in the FWCS, the proportion of minority students attending raciallyidentifiable elementary schools increased from 67 percent in 1970 to 78 percent in 1975.In 1969 and 1971 OCR found several possible Title VI violations, including student and teacherassignment practices. In July 1975 HEW was sued for not concluding investigations or beginningenforcement proceedings in 46 school districts, including Fort Wayne. In August 1975 OCRdropped all potential Title VI charges against the FWCS except teacher assignment, and no writtenrecord was kept of the basis for that action. Meanwhile the Department of Justice receivedseveral complaints from black parents alleging civil rights violations in the FWCS and is stillreviewing the case.The FWCS civil rights issues are also the subject of a complaint filed in 1974 by the ICRC,which is attempting conciliation, without success to date. The Advisory Committee found thatthere has been little or no coordination between ICRC, OCR, and the Department of Justicein these investigations.The Advisory Committee has also found that a recent reorganization plan proposed by theFWCS superintendent has met opposition from many white and minority organizations, parents,and teachers. Opposition has centered on plans to close several inner-city schools, build a newhigh school in an all-white area, place the burden of busing entirely upon minority students,and desegregate only a portion of the elementary schools.Based on these findings, the Advisory Committee recommends that a number of specific actionsbe taken by local, State, and Federal officials. The report contains recommendations toii