Seminar Overview: To conclude the unit, students will prepare for and participate in a full class period student-led seminar focused around the question listed below. Students can use information and sources from throughout the entire unit to prepare, as well as new additional provided sources particularly relevant to the seminar question. You can give students a “reading period” class or two, or create more formal lessons to introduce the new texts. Below you will find the overview I give out to students to introduce them to the seminar assessment, a list of the new sources, and a seminar prep graphic organizer that students can use to prepare.
Seminar Question: What is the best way to address school segregation in the United States?
Things for students to consider when developing their seminar thesis/claim:
Possible Ways to Address School Segregation:
- Mandated vs. Opt-in/Buy-in
- Busing
- Magnet schools
- Lotteries
- Quotas based on socio-economic factors and/or zip codes
- Desegregation plans focused on cities vs. suburbs
- Preliminary focus on housing integration
Who should be responsible for desegregating schools?
- Federal government
- State governments
- Local governments
- The courts
- Individual families
- Non-profits
- Market-based solutions