Desegregation, particularly court ordered busing, has been viewed independently of the complex historic and economic factors in which these policies are rooted. By focusing on the educational aspects of a social or political change the importance of various other factors which operate outside the school but which influence school programs and policies are obscured. A study of an urban desegregated high school which focused on several historical and environmental features of the town in which the school was located suggests several areas in which the social context of desegregation is important. For example: (1) the unique characteristics of the community in which desegregation takes place, (2) the community views of a particular school, (3) the political climate before, during and after desegregation, and (4) the timing of the start of the busing program. The case of Pawnee West High School demonstrates how the social environment can be a key variable in the desegregation process. It is noted that in this high school, the belief that school desegregation has been accomplished masks the importance of other kinds of educational experiences. To the degree that desegregation is seen as an end in itself, it can be used to slow down important efforts at racial and bicultural growth. (Author/AM)