We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode Did Busing Turn Kids Into Democrats?

Did Busing Turn Kids Into Democrats?

2025/4/8
logo of podcast Good on Paper

Good on Paper

Shownotes Transcript

In the summer of 1975, white schoolchildren at some Louisville, Kentucky, public schools were faced with a choice: stay in the school system and undergo busing to integrate the schools, or leave the system entirely. A remarkable new study by the economist Ethan Kaplan shows that for students who stayed, busing had lasting effects on their political identities, making them more likely to identify as Democrats, support unions, and say that the world is not inherently fair. 

Further reading: 

A Different World: Enduring Effects of School Desegregation on Ideology and Attitudes),” by Ethan Kaplan, Jorg L. Spenkuch, and Cody Tuttle

The Nature of Prejudice),* *by Gordon Allport 

Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/podsub).

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices)