Black person Quote by Derrick Bell
““As with most voluntary school integration programs, dispersal of the black children was the norm. In Portland, no more than forty-five black children were bused to any single elementary school, and white schools of four-hundred to five-hundred pupils received as few as four and in most instances only ten to fifteen black students. Brush Elementary, the all-white school Rist selected for daily observation, received about thirty black children. The principal, along with most of his all-white teaching staff, had never taught a black child. He hired a black school aide because he felt that most of the white students had never spoken to a black person. His lack of racial sensitivity was illustrated in a staff discussion about the collection of milk money, when he said, "I guess we had better not call it chocolate milk any longer. It would probably now be more appropriate to refer to it as black milk.””
About This Quote
Source Documentary: School Integration in Portland, 1970s, film or analysis
The quote highlights how forced integration placed a few Black students into predominantly white schools, exposing racial insensitivity and tokenism among staff and students.
In simple terms: Integration often resulted in token placement and prejudice.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address underlying biases in integration efforts.
Themes
education
race
integration
bias
tokenism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- school policy
- teacher training
- community dialogue
- student support programs
Key Concepts
systemic racism
white privilege
cultural competence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can schools move beyond tokenism to genuine equity?
- What training helps staff develop authentic cultural sensitivity?
A Different Perspective
Token placement can reinforce stereotypes rather than foster true inclusion.
![“Harry Belafonte explained: [T]he Second World War happened, and my mother told me that the fight against Hitler was our fight, and I went off, just like that. We were fighting against tyranny, fighting for freedom. But when we-the Black soldiers-came home, we found it was business as usual. There…” quote by Derrick Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ed7/derrick-bell-16993_parenting_harry-belafonte-explained-t-he-second-wo_528143.jpg)
