Recent literature reviews have emphasized the weakness and inconsistency of research on school desegregation outcomes. If social science is to have more influence on school desegregation policy, future research will need to work from comprehensive causal models that incorporate the conditions under which desegregation occurs. (Author/LC)

The appellate argument of Paul Wilson, who represented the Topeka, Kansas, school board in the 1952 Supreme Court case, "Brown v. Board of Education," presents an excellent example of the influence of personal and legal ethics on rhetorical choices. A reluctant advocate of racially segregated education, a policy the Topeka Board of…

Summarizes the role of short-term and long-term effects of social science research in examining the impact of school desegregation policies on black students, discussing whether it works to improve student achievement. The article suggests that short-term effects research has traditionally been less informative than long-term effects research. (SM)