IT ISN'T ALWAYS BLACK OR WHITE

The Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) integration was a complicated process. Though a plan had been implemented in 1970, this plan was reversed by a higher court in 1981 resulting in school closings, teacher transfers, and students bussed miles from home just days before school started. These unexpected changes put burdens on principals, teachers, and staff, as they did their best in a time of uncertainty.

These stories, many never shared before, took place during the court–ordered integration plan, and the process of trying to educate students despite the chaos. They examine the experience of combining students from differing cultures, while striving for positive results for all. These differences were not always black or white. Dr. Mack Hargis, former teacher, coach, principal, and school board member, offers an insider's perspective on the path to the MNPS's integration.

-- J. Mack Hargis, PhD