Merry-Go-Round

Abstract

Current research suggests that schools in urban settings are experiencing increased instances of de facto segregation. This article explores the implications for creating democratic structures in schools that are segregated and includes a discussion of the desegregation efforts in Kansas City, Missouri, as a way to illustrate the reality of the return to segregation. The article further explores issues around identity and self, culture and schooling, and curriculum implications. Ultimately, the author suggests that de facto segregated schooling has become a reality that no longer seems an urgent problem in a country focused on school safety and standardized testing.