Busing and the loss of a great man

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  • July 8, 2019 at 1:14 pm #102772
    waterfield
    Participant

    In the mid 70s I was in law school when the Calif. Supreme Court ruled that the city schools in L.A. were segregated (de facto) which resulted in children not having access to their fundamental right of a free and adequate education. They then ordered the City and County to develop a plan that would de segregate the schools. My Con. Law professor and Dean of our law school was assigned the task of finding a path. He was a respected long time Superior Court Judge. More than that he was a father figure to me. He admitted me into school even though my Sat scores and grades were not worthy. His only explanation was he liked and respected my wife and “saw something”. After a long litigation of the subject he ruled that busing was the only means that could accomplish the task mandated by the Supreme Court. He told me at the time that he knew when he rendered his opinion and order his time on the bench was over-and he absolutely loved being a judge and was respected by every lawyer who ever appeared before him. No one wanted or liked the idea of busing-not even the black communities and certainly not the white communities. Indeed, as expected white flight began with parents removing their children from the public school system. In the next election he was voted out of office. A tragic loss of such a good man and tremendous judge and scholar.

    Here is his obituary that tells his story.
    https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-paul-egly-obituary-20180701-story.html

    July 8, 2019 at 2:20 pm #102773
    zn
    Moderator

    Thanks for that, W. Great personal story and good article.

    …

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