Unequal Education. (cover story)

BROWN v. Board of Education of Topeka; ACADEMIC achievement; SCHOOL integration; AFRICAN American students; EDUCATION & crime; POOR children; ATTITUDE (Psychology); EDUCATIONAL finance; UNITED States education system; AFRICAN American social conditions; EDUCATION; SOCIAL history

Discusses the impact the 1954 Supreme Court decision "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka" has had on the integration of American schools and achievement levels of African American students. History of the impact of "Brown" on schools and race discrimination in general; Claim that educational conditions have not changed significantly for many African American students, and that average achievement levels of black students remain below those of whites and Asian Americans; Claim that "white flight" to the suburbs led many inner-city schools to become predominantly black; Details of test scores of various ethnic groups; Challenges facing failing schools; Account of how a predominantly African American school in Charlotte, North Carolina, raised achievement levels by setting individualized goals and rewarding achievement; Background on efforts to desegregate Charlotte's schools; Details of the debate among educators on how best to help students living in poor, crime-ridden communities achieve academically; Claim that many schools in poor areas lack basic facilities such as libraries and computers; Finding that spending alone does not appear to solve the problems of urban schools; Speculation that attitudes about education among students and their parents may play a role in achievement levels; Details of Charlotte's testing program; Importance of teaching skills.