The influence of catholic schools on the desegregation of public school systems: A case study of white flight in Boston

White flight from public school desegregation can result in educational and residential resegregation which defeat the purpose of desegregation programs. One form of white flight is pupil transfer to private schools, which in major metropolitan areas are predominantly Catholic schools. Unlike residential relocation, transfers to Catholic schools do not effect an increase in residential segregation and they constitute a potentially less permanent loss to the public system than that caused by relocation. Nevertheless, empty seats in area Catholic schools pose a threat to the success of any desegregation program. For the Catholic diocese, the white flight issue creates a complex conflict of interests, involving institutional self-interest and competing claims to moral principles and Church teachings.A case study of Boston indicates that approximately 2,000 students transferred to Catholic schools from the public system, accounting for over 20 percent of white pupil loss to the public system. This occurred despite diocesan policies designed to prevent white flight to Catholic schools. An analysis of political and institutional constraints on policy development and implementation provides a basis for predicting Church response to future desegregation programs in other locations. Suggestions for diocesan programs designed to address desegregation issues are included.This research was conducted as part of a national study of public school desegregation directed by Karl E. Taeuber. Funding was provided by the Institute for Research on Poverty and the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research, both at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. I wish to thank Dr. Taeuber for facilitating this particular study and for helpful comments on an earlier draft. I also wish to acknowledge the valuable assistance of Mary J. McDonald and Roger Hedge of the Massachusetts Department of Education and Rev. Eugene Sullivan, Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of Boston. Conclusions and interpretations presented here are the sole responsibility of the author.