In many of America’s urban centers, particularly those governed by Democratic administrations, public schools are failing Black children at alarming rates. Decades of systemic neglect, coupled with the failure to pass robust school choice legislation and mismanagement in charter schools, have trapped these students in underperforming institutions. This perpetuates a modern form of “separate but equal,” where Black children are denied equitable access to quality education, reinforcing cycles of poverty and inequality.
The Promise and Stumbling Blocks of School Choice
School choice, encompassing vouchers, education savings accounts, and expanded charter school options, is often heralded as a lifeline for families in failing school districts. These policies aim to empower parents to select better-performing schools—public, private, or charter—for their children, theoretically breaking the monopoly of zip-code-based public education. For Black families in cities like Chicago, Detroit, or Baltimore, where public schools frequently report abysmal test scores and graduation rates, school choice could provide access to environments that foster academic success.
However, the passage of comprehensive school choice bills has faced relentless opposition in blue states and cities. Teachers’ unions, a powerful political force in Democratic strongholds, argue that such policies drain resources from public schools. In states like Illinois and Maryland, legislative efforts to expand school choice have repeatedly stalled, leaving families with few alternatives. For example, Illinois’s Invest in Kids scholarship program, which provided tax-credit-funded scholarships for low-income students to attend private schools, was allowed to expire in 2023 despite evidence of its benefits for Black and low-income families.
This failure to enact school choice legislation ensures that Black children remain tethered to failing public schools. In Chicago, for instance, only 21% of Black students in public schools met or exceeded reading standards in 2023, compared to 52% of white students. The absence of choice entrenches this gap, as families lack the means to escape schools that consistently underperform.
Charter Schools: A Flawed Alternative
Charter schools, publicly funded but independently operated, were once seen as a beacon of hope for underserved communities. They promised innovative curricula and freedom from bureaucratic constraints. In many blue cities, charters have indeed provided Black students with better outcomes than traditional public schools. For example, a 2019 study by Stanford’s CREDO found that Black students in urban charter schools gained an additional 40 days of learning in math compared to their public school peers.
Yet, the charter school model is not a panacea. Financial mismanagement, lack of oversight, and inconsistent quality have plagued many charter networks, particularly in blue cities where regulatory frameworks are often lax or overly politicized. In Detroit, for instance, a 2016 investigation revealed that some charter schools misspent millions in public funds on lavish administrative salaries and questionable real estate deals, while student performance lagged. Similarly, in Washington, D.C., several charter schools have faced closures due to financial insolvency or academic underperformance, disrupting students’ education and eroding trust in the system.
These failures disproportionately harm Black students, who make up a significant portion of charter school enrollment in urban areas. When charter schools close or underdeliver, families are often left scrambling, with no viable alternatives beyond the same failing public schools they sought to escape. This instability undermines the promise of choice and leaves Black children caught in a cycle of educational disruption.
The Financial and Structural Mismanagement of Public Schools
Even without school choice or charter school issues, public schools in blue cities are often crippled by mismanagement. Despite receiving substantial funding—Chicago Public Schools, for example, had a 2024 budget of $9.4 billion, or roughly $29,000 per student—outcomes remain dismal. Funds are frequently misallocated to bloated administrative bureaucracies, unfunded pension liabilities, or pet projects rather than classrooms. In Baltimore, a 2023 audit found that the school district misreported attendance data to secure additional state funding, while only 13% of students were proficient in math.
This financial mismanagement compounds the effects of structural failures: outdated curricula, inadequate teacher training, and crumbling infrastructure. Black students, who are disproportionately concentrated in these districts, bear the brunt of these inefficiencies. Schools in predominantly Black neighborhoods often lack advanced coursework, extracurricular opportunities, or even basic resources like textbooks, creating an educational experience that is separate and demonstrably unequal.
The Persistence of “Separate but Equal”
The cumulative impact of these failures—blocked school choice, mismanaged charters, and dysfunctional public schools—resurrects the ghost of “separate but equal,” the infamous doctrine from Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that justified racial segregation. While today’s segregation is not codified by law, it is perpetuated by policy inertia and systemic neglect. Black children in blue cities are funneled into schools that are underfunded in practice, underperforming in outcomes, and isolated from the opportunities afforded to their white or wealthier peers.
This de facto segregation has measurable consequences. A 2020 report from the National Center for Education Statistics showed that Black students in urban public schools are less likely to graduate high school (73% graduation rate) than their white counterparts (89%). The achievement gap feeds into broader disparities in college attendance, employment, and wealth accumulation, cementing a cycle of disadvantage.
Breaking the Cycle
To dismantle this modern “separate but equal” system, policymakers must prioritize Black children over entrenched interests. First, blue states should pass robust school choice laws, including vouchers and education savings accounts, to give families the power to select schools that meet their children’s needs. Second, charter schools require stronger oversight to ensure financial accountability and academic quality, without stifling their autonomy. Third, public schools must undergo serious reforms to address mismanagement, redirecting funds to classrooms and prioritizing student outcomes.
Black families in failing blue cities deserve educational options that deliver results, not excuses. Until these systemic barriers are addressed, the promise of equal opportunity will remain out of reach, and the legacy of “separate but equal” will continue to cast a long shadow over the next generation.
