A Timeline of Boston School Desegregation, 1961-1985

March 2March 6March 15March 16March 19March 20March 22March 23Mach 27Boston.” City Councilor Albert L. O'Neil was more temperate, but nonethelessproclaimed that “they're not going to bus these children.”Federal Administrative Judge Laurence Ring, presiding over the federal HEWand HUD Civil Rights Act hearing, rules that Boston runs a dual school system,which “constitutes de jure segregation as defined by Act.” He orders federalfunds totaling about $8 million be withheld from the city. The programs thatwould be most affected by the cutoff of funds include programs for thehandicapped, library aid, and supplementary services and vocational education.BSC Chairman Paul Tierney states that the Committee will appeal the ruling. 95Gregory Anrig sworn in as Massachusetts Commissioner of Education.BOE releases its plan for integrating Boston schools. The plan would doublethe number of elementary schools and create a uniform grade structure in newlydrawn districts across the city, establishing K-5 elementary schools, 6-8 middleschools, and four-year high schools. 96BSC asks SJC to order BOE to release about $11 million in withheld funds. 97SJC, Justice Hennessey, grants BSC's request for an injunction, blocking theupcoming hearings on BOE's integration plan. 98Justice Hennessey vacates March 16 injunction, allowing hearings on state'sintegration plan to begin the next day.Hearings begin on BOE's integration plan, presided over by Harvard lawprofessor Louis Jaffe. John McMahon, attorney for the Boston Teacher's Union,requests a delay of 10 days to study the plan. BSC requests a three-week delayof hearings. 99Closing arguments in Morgan v. Hennigan. BOE also requests that it bedropped as a defendant in the suit.Boston parents testify in hearings on BOE's integration plan. Almost all thetestimony is unfavorable toward the plan.Boston parents demonstrate at the State House, City Hall, and BOE officesduring hearings on state's integration plan in response to Prof. Jaffe's rejectionof a proposal by Louise Day Hicks that community hearings at night. 100March 29 BSC endorses a resolution supporting a march and rally planned for April 3,1973 against forced busing. BSC decides to distributes leaflets to schoolchildren that call parents' attention to the protest. 101 Boston City CounselHerbert Gleason says the BSC's endorsement of the event is illegal. 102March 30Boston parents attempt to block BSC's participation in the April 3 event, but fail95 USCOCR Report at 109; James Worsham, “Hub schools 'segregated;' US funds cut,” Boston Globe, Mar. 2, 1973.; seealso MRC Packet at 19.96 Muriel Cohen, “School busing in Hub doubles in state's plan,” Boston Globe, Mar. 15, 1973.97 “Boston asks release of $11m in school aid funds,” Boston Globe, Mar. 16, 1973.98 “Hub school plan hearing delayed,” Boston Globe, Mar. 17, 1973.99 USCOCR Report at 76; Muriel Cohen, “Parents protest at 3 sites during imbalance hearings,” Boston Globe, Mar. 21,1973.100 Id.101 Muriel Cohen, “Hub school board to endorse busing protest,” Boston Globe, Mar. 29, 1973.102 Muriel Cohen, “Antibusing support called illegal by Hub,” Boston Globe, Mar. 30, 1973.21