A Timeline of Boston School Desegregation, 1961-1985

September 4September 5September 6September 7September 8Officials announce that 1550 Boston, MDC and State police, as well as 100 U.S.marshals, will be on duty at schools and along bus routes when classes begin.There will also be about 50 FBI agents on duty and the National Guard will beon alert. Officials from the Justice Department and the Suffolk County DistrictAttorney's office have also assembled prosecution teams.Massachusetts state House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. John J.Finnegan (D-Dorchester) states that he may oppose Gov. Dukakis' request forfull METCO funding.The Roman Catholic Archdiocese School Board begins to look into whetherparochial schools are being used as havens for students avoiding busing. Therequest is made by a group of Catholic school teachers and principals.The Boston Schools Information Center opens. Ronald Brinn is named by theCCC as an “objective party” to disseminate information received from CCCmonitors and staff.Judge Garrity issues safety orders for the upcoming start of classes. The orderallows only representatives from CCC, the community district advisorycouncils, and bi-racial parent councils, Home and School Association, and theBTU. Police were directed to prohibit three or more people from gatheringwithin 100 yards of a school if they are likely to disrupt classes. It also banned“noisy or threatening conduct, including picketing” within 100-yards of aschool if it would disrupt classes or frighten students or teachers. However,Garrity refuses a request by plaintiff black parents for “police buffer zones”around all schools instead of just where disturbances are likely to occur. 633Judge Garrity also defines the role of two-member biracial teams ofcoordinating council members. They are to “play a strictly informationgatheringand observation role” and report back to CCC, which will report tothe court.About 120 Boston police who were assigned mandatory overtime to deal withthe opening of schools call in sick. 634The Committee Against Racism announces that it will have welcomingcommittees for black and Latino students at South Boston, Charlestown, andHyde Park High Schools.Leaders of ROAR organize a “Boston Unity Day” to protest busing in the finaldesegregation order at City Hall. Speakers include Louise Day Hicks, ClaySmothers, and state Sen. William Bulger.Officials announce a more detailed security plan: 355 state troopers will be inBoston for the first three days of school, after which the force will be reduced to300 for the next 17 days. A force of 100 will remain in the city after that. Fourhundred National Guard troops will be in Boston for the first day of classes andremain in reserve in Wakefield thereafter.Classes begin at Boston schools under Garrity's final desegregation order.Attendance is estimated at 59% due to parental fears, a school boycott by antibusingorganizers and confusion resulting from administrative lapses in school633 Robert L. Turner, “Phase 2 disrupters face quick arrest, prosecution,” Boston Globe, Sep. 4, 1975.634 Richard Martin, “120 police assigned to overtime call in 'sick',” Boston Globe, Sep. 7, 1975.96