University of Missouri, St. Louis IRL @ UMSL Dissertations UMSL Graduate Works 12-16-2014 DISTRICT WITHIN A DISTRICT: De FACTO SEGREGATION AND WHITE FLIGHT INTO AND OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF UNIVERSITY CITY (1967-1991) Carlos Javier Diaz-Granados University of Missouri-St. Louis Follow this and additional works at: https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Diaz-Granados, Carlos Javier, "DISTRICT WITHIN A DISTRICT: De FACTO SEGREGATION AND WHITE FLIGHT INTO AND OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF UNIVERSITY CITY (1967-1991)" (2014). Dissertations. 205. https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/205 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the UMSL Graduate Works at IRL @ UMSL. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of IRL @ UMSL. For more information, please contact [email protected]. District within a District: De facto Segregation and White Flight into and out of The School District of University City (1967-1991) Carlos J. Diaz-Granados M. Ed., Educational Administration, University of Missouri – St. Louis, 1997 B.S. Education, Webster University – St. Louis, 1991 A Dissertation Submitted to The Graduate School at the University of Missouri-St.Louis In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Of Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies November 2014 Advisory Committee Matthew Davis, Ph.D. Chairman Lynn Beckwith, Ph.D. Carlo Hoagland, Ph.D Claude Weathersby, Ph.D. Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iv Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 District within a District ............................................................................................................................ 5 Safe in the Shadows .................................................................................................................................. 7 Problem Statement ................................................................................................................................. 16 Purpose statement.................................................................................................................................. 18 Research Questions ................................................................................................................................ 20 Significance of the study ......................................................................................................................... 22 Delimitations ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Limitations .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Definitions of Terms ................................................................................................................................ 28 Chapter 2: The Changing Demography of University City .......................................................................... 31 What Does Our Past Say About Our Future? .......................................................................................... 59 Chapter 3: The Reorganization Controversy ............................................................................................... 61 Citizen Participation in the Reorganization of University City Schools ................................................... 72 The Neighborhood Schools Group .......................................................................................................... 96 The Committee on Racial Balance and the Reorganization Group ......................................................... 98 The Third Group .................................................................................................................................... 100 The Vote ............................................................................................................................................ 104 Reorganization Timeline ....................................................................................................................... 107 Chapter 4: The Fire .................................................................................................................................... 111 A Tipping Point .................................................................................................................................. 114 LETTER FROM PRINCIPAL .................................................................................................................. 122 Chapter 5: A District within a District ....................................................................................................... 131 The Status Quo ...................................................................................................................................... 140 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 158 Racial Balance and Interest Convergence ......................................................................................... 158 APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................................... 164 Interview #1: White female resident of University City (1954 – Current) and graduate of University City Senior High School class of 1955 ............................................................................................... 164 Interview #2: White female resident of University City (1933 – Current), graduate of University City Senior High School class of 1949, former Board Member in the School District of University City . 168 Interview #3: White female resident of University City and former Board Member ....................... 172 Interview #4: White female resident of University City and former Council Woman ...................... 174 Interview #5: White female resident and current district administrator ......................................... 179 Interview #6: Black female, former School District of University City Administrator ...................... 181 Interview #7: White female resident of University City, former parent of students in the School District of University City, and Civil Rights Activist ........................................................................... 183 Interview #8: White female, former resident of University City and former School District of University City Board Member.......................................................................................................... 189 Interview #9: Black female, former resident of University City and graduate of University City Senior High School class of 2002 .................................................................................................................. 193 Interview #10: White female resident of University City and graduate of University City Senior High School class of 1957 .......................................................................................................................... 195 Interview #10: White male resident of University City and graduate of University City Senior High School class of 1957 .......................................................................................................................... 195 Interview #11: White female, former student at Brittany Middle School and Hanley Junior High School ................................................................................................................................................ 196 Interview #11: Black male, former teacher and administrator in the School District of University City .......................................................................................................................................................... 198 Interview #12: Black male, community activist and former parent of students at University City Senior High School ............................................................................................................................ 208 Interview #13: White female, former resident in University City and graduate of University City Senior High School class of 1966....................................................................................................... 211 Interview #14: White female resident of University City and graduate University City Senior High School Class of 1968. ......................................................................................................................... 213 Interview #15: Black male resident of University City and graduate University City Senior High School Class of 1970. ......................................................................................................................... 219 APPENDIX B ........................................................................................................................................... 224 Data from District Annuals ................................................................................................................ 224 .............................................................................................................................................................