Good on Paper Did Busing Turn Kids Into Democrats?
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Apr 8, 2025 Ethan Kaplan, an economist from the University of Maryland whose research focuses on the impacts of policy interventions like school desegregation, discusses a groundbreaking study on school busing in Louisville. He reveals how busing changed the political identities of students, making them more likely to align with the Democratic Party and support unions. Kaplan also explores the complex relationship between educational policies, personal growth through discomfort, and long-term political attitudes shaped by formative experiences in diverse settings.
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Louisville Desegregation
- In 1975, Louisville schools were ordered to desegregate, leading to a two-way busing program.
- White parents overwhelmingly opposed the plan, with the KKK holding rallies.
Natural Experiment
- Kaplan chose to study Louisville's program because of its unique implementation.
- The first letter of students' last names determined when they were bused, creating a natural experiment.
Long-Term Political Attitudes
- Busing led to more liberal economic views in white students decades later.
- A separate study shows busing positively impacted Black students' income.