Schools and Inequality

Present educational finance policies can be construed to be in violation of the equal Protection Clause of the United states Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment. Assisted by the National Urban Coalition, the authors of this book have compiled a great deal of information and analysis on school services in the state of Michigan--information which may typify such services throughout the country. Their research was conducted initially to serve as evidence in a suit filed by the Detroit Board of Education which alleged dscrimination in the state's distribution of resources to schools: It may be that the courts will be persuaded to act on the matter, or it may be that the logic of the interpretation will nevertheless be effective in convincing state legislatures themselves of the need to act. In any event, it is our position that the specific arguments made to courts and legislative bodies should embody research of the type illustrated by this book.