A Timeline of Boston School Desegregation, 1961-1985

August 22August 27courts from ordering busing as a solution to segregation when such busingwould extend beyond the closest or next closest school to the student's home. Aprovision requiring the reopening of cases that ordered longer bus rides hadbeen dropped from the bill. 197BSC requests a meeting with Mayor White to discuss safety measures to betaken when schools open. 198The Boston School Department has hired only 15% of the required 275 newblack teachers required by Judge Garrity's order for the upcoming school year. 199Hayden Gregory, Chief Counsel for the the Department of Justice's CommunityRelations Service, takes charge as the agency's court appointed monitor ofBoston's desegregation efforts to report back to Judge Garrity. 200BOE approves an expansion of METCO in Boston and Springfield to include2,300 students in Boston, a 28% increase. 201August 29 A coalition of white parents from Hyde Park, South Boston, and Pope's Hill /Neponset areas of Dorchester begin seeking funds to start an alternative schoolsystem to escape the forced reassignment of 15,000 children as part of courtordereddesegregation. 202August 30September 1Community meetings take place in West Roxbury, Hyde Park and the SouthEnd. Louise Day Hicks called for the impeachment of Judge Garrity and for theelection of all Federal Judges. 203Superintendent William Leary announces that after partial desegregation hastaken place, any students left in a racial majority can transfer to a school wherehis/her race is in the minority. Transfers will be granted from September 23 toOctober 4. 204John Coakley of the Educational Planning Center notes that under thedesegregation plans, about 35 elementary schools will be more than 90% whiteand about 12 will be more than 90% black. One middle school will be morethan 90% black, but high schools will be balanced. 205BSC asks Judge Garrity to resolve the overcrowding problem at DorchesterHigh school, which has a capacity of about 1,400. About 2,400 students will beassigned to the school. Hearings are scheduled for September 4. 206Between 100 and 500 teachers out of 5,000 remain to be assigned before theschool year begins. Boston Schools announces that about 20,000 students willbe bused when school begins and that the reassignment of students has split up197 Janet Staihar “Ford signs school bill that restricts busing,” Boston Globe, Aug. 22, 1974.198 James Worsham “School board asks White to meet on safety,” Boston Globe, Aug. 22, 1974.199 “Boston signs 47 new black teachers,” Bay State Banner, Aug. 22, 1974.200 Stephen Curwood “US busing monitor: Garrity's eyes, ears,” Boston Globe, Aug. 28, 1974.201 James Worsham “State votes $3.8m for METCO; 20% more pupils to be bused,” Boston Globe, Aug. 28, 1974.202 Muriel Cohen “White parents find serious problems in efforts to set up alternative schools,” Boston Globe, Aug. 29,1974.203 “Desegregation talks held in 3 communities,” Boston Globe, Aug. 30, 1974.204 Stephen Curwood “Student in a racial majority will have the right to transfer,” Boston Globe, Aug. 31, 1974.205 Muriel Cohen “School integration: 10 more days to go,” Boston Globe, Sep. 1, 1974.206 Id.34