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Effect of Integrated Bussing Programs Studied With Soc Rel 120 Group Method

Second, meaningful interaction between groups and their leaders resulted when young, non-professionals guided the discussions.

Third, keeping groups segregated allows for direct and open confrontation of realities and fantasies tied to integration even when the leader is white. The gang boys' admissions to the leader about their racial fears is an example.

Fourth, many integration problems are really problems of sexual adjustment between opposing sexes of different colors.

Lastly, the self-analytic technique can be meaningful for lower class and young adolescents. The method's success can be shown best by the result of a girl's attempt to "act out" her sense of racial perspective in an integrated group.

She began by turning out the light in the hall (where several students were talking) and leaving on the light in the room. Then she reversed the process.

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Students--Negro and white--realized that everyone is black in the dark. This girl, in a few seconds, forcibly conveyed the superficiality of skin color much more effectively than most teachers could in a year.

"Who are they? Older? They'll kill us. Make 'em younger...real small, pygmies with eyes like poison darts. Why are they coming? They'll want to fight! We'll talk and let them sit in back of the room," members of the white gang said when told Negroes would soon join their group.

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