Final answer:
Busing was used as a strategy to achieve racial balance in schools during the period of segregation. It connected black and white parents and facilitated friendships between children of different races. However, busing faced public resistance from both sides.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the period of racial segregation in education, busing was implemented as a strategy to achieve racial balance in schools. It involved transporting students to schools outside their neighborhoods to promote diversity. Busing connected black and white parents and led to friendships between children of different races. However, these friendships were often superficial, and the practice of busing faced public resistance from both sides.
Busing was one method used to address this issue by transporting students from predominately black or white neighborhoods to schools that were racially imbalanced. One significant example of busing to achieve racial balance occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, after the Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education case. The courts supported the use of busing to increase racial diversity in classrooms.
While well-intentioned, the busing strategy met with mixed reactions. It called attention to the ongoing issue of de facto segregation in education and highlighted the need for systemic changes. Mandatory busing led to resistance and dissatisfaction among some parents and communities, demonstrating the complexities associated with legislated attempts at social integration. Over time, with changing court decisions and shifts in demographics, forced busing plans were phased out, but inequalities in educational quality have persisted.