APRIL 14, 1972
Student Takes Positive Stand In Busing Controversy
Would you be willing to spend perhaps two hours of your school day on a bus and attend a school inferior to Maine West for the sake of desegregation?
The controversy over busing has been relatively quiet for a long time, but with the approach of the presidential election it has heated up and emerged as one of the most hotly debated issues. It could be a decisive factor in the voting to determine who will occupy the White House for the next four years.
Alabama Governor George Wallace, known for his support of segregation, recently won the Florida primary because of his strong opposition to school busing, and only a few hours following the primary President Nixon went before the nation to announce an anti-busing plan.
This plan involved a delay of new busing so that Congress can consider legislation which would provide a long term solution for busing.
The President's long term solution, titled the "Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1972," proposed the appropriation of more than 2.5 billion dollars to improve education, primarily in the inner city schools, over the next year.
Mr. Nixon' said that he did not favor busing as a means of achieving racial balance in our schools. Yet he did not name an alternative.
Racial tension is a major element in the deterioration of our cities and country today. The races must learn to live together if this deterioration is to be stopped. With open housing lagging and the white exodus to the suburbs increasing, school offers the only major means for future adults of all races to mix and meet. But this should be in schools that offer quality education.
This is the main objection of those that oppose busing any- way. Parents do not want to pour huge sums of money into schools that their children will not attend.
This is why improvements must be made in our schools until the standard of education is virtually the same in all schools.
Then I believe busing should be given a chance to work, as it already has in some communities. I think integrated education can alleviate a lot of the distrust and hatred that is present in our country today.