The Education of a White Parent: Wrestling with Race and Opportunity in the Boston Public Schools

In this engaging and thought-provoking memoir, Naimark describes her gradual discovery of the intertwined racial and social inequities that permeate the Boston public school system. As a child, Naimark witnessed the 1967 riots that ravaged Detroit and the “white flight” that followed, but she didn’t appreciate the causes or social implications of those events until she enrolled her own children in the Boston public school system. A school secretary’s peremptory command to sign her son up for a certain school because “they need whites there” prompted Naimark to question the demographics, funding, and academic performance of different schools. She found that, although the civil rights movement has improved diversity, racial divisions still exist, and public schools are still plagued by inadequate funding, low expectations, subtly ingrained racism, and apparent bureaucratic indifference. Later, as a participant in school governance, Naimark found the system crippled by a lack of trust, lack of cooperation, and indifference on the part of the wealthiest and most influential voters, many of whom send their children to private schools. With advice from other parents and considerable personal involvement, Naimark was able to make the system work for her children, but as she observes, this is not a systemic solution and isn’t possible for all parents. (Sept.)