Rezoning: The Struggle to Integrate NYC Public Schools

Welcome to another episode of The Silk Stocking Sisters Podcast. In this episode, we delve into one of the most pivotal and complex challenges of school integration in New York City: zoning. Continuing our discussion on the history of integrating NYC public schools, we explore the 1955 Commission on Integrations zoning sub-committee report. We are taking a deeper look at how school district lines shaped educational access, equity, and segregation.

Join our host, Dr. Theresa J. Canada, as she defines what zoning really means and breaks down what the committee discovered about the causes and consequences of shifting zoning lines. She touches on the persistent problem of permissive zoning, a policy approach that ultimately reinforced racial divides instead of dismantling them.

Dr. Canada draws from her own experience as a participant in the PS 6 desegregation experiment, connecting her personal history with policy analysis to highlight how rezoning efforts both failed and succeeded. We also take a closer look at school utilization, examining how overcrowded schools and under-resourced buildings reflected deeper issues of race, funding, and inequality.

From zoning policies to the critical intersection of finances and race, this episode addresses the implementation challenges that continue to shape today's education system. Be sure to subscribe to The Silk Stocking Sisters Podcast on the ALIVE Podcast Network app for more episodes!