It isn't necessarily true that without integration, one can not receive a quality education. There were arguments said in professional development to the contrary, arguments that mentioned the detriment of having only one point of view constantly voiced, however, with good enough teachers that can bring historical references and modern perspectives from all different cultures into the learning area, children could learn to interpret events from many viewpoints. But while it is possible to succeed in a segregated educational society, that doesn't nullify the many benefits that integration brings, nor does such a system prevent inequality in the form of school resources from occurring.
The truth about many inner-city, segregated schools that are predominantly Black and Hispanic, as the articles from last week mentioned, is that they experience a far different reality from predominantly white schools in affluent neighborhoods, in part do to a standardized testing system that discriminates by ignoring privilege and need, and takes funds away from the schools that actually require it the most. I think that the most pressing argument for integration comes from the concern that this brings up, which is that the education system is fostering, even encouraging, the unequal status of minorities in the U.S., rather than combating it. However, to really create an environment where integration succeeds, requires starting from a young age to dispel racist thoughts, which is at the core a community movement. For with out that, there is always the possibility of isolating minorities within classrooms, and making them feel unrepresented and "different".
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