Ah, yes. The old affirmative action debate.
I note that these issues are usually brought to a head by a parent who complains:
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The system, which has been in place for a decade, has made Jefferson County one of the most integrated school districts in the country. But if Crystal Meredith, a single mom who was told her son could not transfer to another elementary school because he is white, has her way, the whole thing will be dismantled.
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I'm not sure what my opinion on policies like this is... On the one hand, more segregated school disctricts magnifies socioeconomic differences between ethnic groups. On the other hand, the socioeconomic differences in a way came first--the segregation is an effect of them. If the alternative is to do nothing to encourage integration, then I guess I'd be in favour of continuing a program of this kind. But it seems to me that there must be some way of addressing the root causes of racial disparity--and in the long run that should have the same effect, no?