Freedom of Choice (schools) facts for kids
"Freedom of Choice," also called the "Free transfer plan," was a set of ideas used in the United States from 1965 to 1970. These plans aimed to bring students of all races together in schools that had been separated by race.
What Led to "Freedom of Choice"?
About ten years after a big decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, schools were still mostly separate. In 1955, the Supreme Court had ruled in a case called Brown II. This ruling said that schools should integrate, meaning students of all races should go to school together. It said this should happen "with all deliberate speed."
After this ruling, many school districts in states with segregated schools tried a new approach. They gave students the right to choose which school they wanted to attend. This meant students could pick a school, no matter their race.
However, in real life, most schools stayed separate. Only a small number of Black students chose to go to schools that were mostly white. Almost no white students chose to attend schools that were mostly Black. So, the "Freedom of Choice" plans did not really lead to integrated schools.
Why "Freedom of Choice" Didn't Work
By 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court looked at three cases about these "Freedom of Choice" plans. The Court decided that these plans alone were not enough to make schools truly integrated.
The Supreme Court ruled that if "Freedom of Choice" did not lead to integration, then other methods had to be used. One of these methods was called zoning. Zoning meant drawing lines on a map to decide which students went to which schools, to make sure schools were mixed.
This new ruling caused strong disagreement in many school districts. People did not like the idea of changing how students were assigned to schools. Because of this, by the early 1970s, none of the "Freedom of Choice" plans were still being used.
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