During the period 1954 to 1976, the public's perception and ultimate reaction to busing went from mild disfavor to vehement rejection. An analysis of the information which seemed to cause this revealed that four factors seemed to be involved: the neighborhood school concept and its validity; the educational benefit to be derived from the program; the degree of sociological experimentation involved; and finally, the role of racism as it survives within the general populace. The bulk of this dissertation consists of a catalogue and analysis of the information which led to the selection of these four factors. Furthermore, the impact that each factor has had upon both the general public and certain other segments of society is reviewed and discussed. (Author/AM)