Segregation in the schools?

I bought a Sunday paper today (yes, I realize it's a day late, but better late then never, right?) and couldn't believe what was splashed all over the front page. "The Resegregation of Seattle Schools"

In a short history lesson here, we remember that after the slaves were freed, they were afforded certain rights, but not as many rights as their previous owners. There were black and white restrooms, black and white water fountains, blacks rode on the back of the bus and were expected to give up their seats to a white person, etc. Eventually, blacks were allowed to form their own schools, but not go to those of the whites. All of these were verbalized by one word: Segregation. As time went on, these walls came down, and everything became segregated, including schools. End history lesson.

Now, seattle is complaing because schools are being made up of predominantly minority groups, or predominately whites (sorry, if this offends you, but aren't whites becoming the minority here?). A direct quote from the article: "Today, a total of 30 schools - close to a third of the district's buildings - have nonwhite poulations that far exceed the district's average of 58%. In 20 of them, nonwhite enrollment is 90% or more." To me this says "Boohoo, the nonwhite population enjoys being around other people of their own race!" I'm sorry, but if parents are allowed to chose the school their children go to (as it should be) then you are going to end up with parents who want their kids to be educated with others of their kinds.

Have you ever been to southern California? HUGE latino populations with schools made up almost entirely of latinos. It has to do with where people live. Couple this with the fact that this article clearly states, and I quote: "...too many schools, inegrated on paper, were still segregated in the lunchroom.." If you put a bunch of kids in a room - blacks, whites, hispanics, and asians -and tell them to make friends, I guarantee that there will be 4 "clicks" after a few days. You'll have your white click, your black click, your hispanic click and asian click. It's inevitable. People, like animals, flock to their own kind. This isn't racism, it's just the way people are.

So what is Seattle's solution to the segregation "problem"? They are implementing mandatory busing. Meaning, parents no longer get to choose the school they want their kids too. Are you white and live next to an awesome school, with awesome teachers? Great! Is the school predominatly white? Too bad, you're going to be forced to go to a school across town, where the "minority" groups reign, and crime, drug use, and STD's might be high. Hmm... Guess what parents are doing in response? They are moving to a different area, where they can pick who gives their child an education, and what life horrors their children are exposed to - or not. The result? Seattle schools are going to remain segregated.

So what is the solution here? As long as people are allowed to move wherever they want, they are often going to move near people of their own race, regardless of what race that is. The only way to fix this, is to somehow pass a law keeping neighborhoods from becoming too segregated. What are you going to do when a latino comes into town and finds the perfect house for sale. Are realters really going to say "I'm sorry, I can't take your offer on the house because there are too many latinos already living in this neighborhood." Talk about descrimination at its worst.

I don't see this as being a problem. Know why? People have a right to live where they want to live, and give their children the education they want them to have. Noone has the right to step in and say any different. Certainly not the most liberal people in the state who see same race communities as being a "problem." Why not focus on something just a tad more important, and quit wasting our time!