Final answer:
Private schools in urban areas have contributed to racial segregation due to selective admissions, lack of diversity, and public funding.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the textbook, researchers believe that the availability of private schools in urban areas has contributed to racial segregation for several reasons:
- Private schools have selective admissions: Private schools have the ability to choose which students to admit, and this can lead to a lack of racial diversity in these schools, as they may favor certain groups of students over others.
- Private schools lack diversity: Private schools often have lower diversity compared to public schools, as they tend to attract students from higher-income families. This can contribute to racial segregation because students from different racial backgrounds may not have the opportunity to interact with each other in a school setting.
- Private schools often receive public funding: While private schools generally require tuition and private donations, some private schools also receive public funding. This can contribute to racial segregation because public funding may be limited, making private schools only accessible to certain socioeconomic groups, which can further exacerbate existing inequalities.