Summarized are findings of an intensive study of southern white parents' decision to transfer their children from desegregated public schools to essentially segregated private schools (in seven desegregated school districts in the state of Florida, with data drawn from surveys of white parents of school age children in each of the seven districts). Findings indicate that contrary to expectations, Southerners in the sample are no more likely to avoid desegregation and place their children in private school than non-southerners. Avoidance of desegregation transcends racial views and regional upbringing, but not the ability to afford it. The findings also appear to support multiple district desegregation plans of the type proposed for Detroit. Results also indicate that avoiders are not more racially prejudiced than compliers. Moreover, while resistance is commonly attributed to lower-class persons, avoidance of desegregation through the private schools appears to be an upper class phenomenon. It is concluded that avoidance does not remove the racially prejudiced from the schools, but it removes children whose presence is important. (Author/AM)