Final answer:
De facto segregation in Texas schools has occurred due to suburbanization and 'white flight,' contributing to ethnic divides in education, with students in major cities more likely to be Black or Latino. Legal segregation historically affected Mexican-American students, leading to unequal educational opportunities that persist in various forms today.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ongoing issue of ethnic composition and segregation within school districts has been shaped by historical and socio-economic variables throughout Texas and other states. One fundamental aspect is de facto segregation, which refers to separation that happens by circumstance rather than law. This has been influenced largely by patterns such as suburbanization and 'white flight,' where White families moved from urban centers to suburbs, leaving behind a largely Black and Latino student population in the city schools.
Despite the lack of legal mandates for the segregation of Mexican-American children, they were often placed in separate schools and encountered significant language and cultural barriers. Educational inequalities were further exacerbated as affluent residents moved out of cities, draining urban areas of valuable tax revenue and investment in public schools. These actions intensified the segregation of students based on ethnicity and economic status.
Efforts to integrate schools, such as forced busing, faced substantial resistance, which often served to reinforce the segregated status quo. Today, despite efforts to integrate schools and promote ethnic diversity within classrooms, disparities remain evident, with many schools predominantly attended by students of color while White students are more likely to be found in suburban schools, indicating a still-present divide that affects the quality of education across ethnic lines.