Brown v Board of Education: Mock Trial

Today you have been presented with strong arguments in favor of desegregation, looking through the lens of history, religion, and tradition. Now I want to point you to the many economic benefits of integration, especially in schools. 

The case presented to you today is pushing for the racial integration of schools on the basis that it is unconstitutional to separate students by race. The fight for true equality is one that has been going on for some time now. 

As new laws and regulations begin to be passed, African Americans are working their way into creating new lives for themselves which means finding a way to support themselves financially and find economic stability for their families. As you make your ruling though, it is important to think about the economic benefits not only for them, but for this entire nation, which will come out of schools being desegregated. 

Looking first at the effects on the students themselves, integration allows students to feel like they belong and gives them more opportunities to learn in an environment that feels valued and not just pushed to the side. Integration has been shown to reduce drop out rates among African American high school students by 2-3 percentage points. This means that more students are able to finish their degrees and in turn become a valued part of our society, both socially and economically.

When these students succeed in school, they also benefit in their later lives. It has been proven that children in integrated schools have higher incomes as adults, better health outcomes and lower incarceration rates. 

Looking from this perspective, we can see how integration could create generational change. As the students who are in schools now grow up, they will be more equipped to create economic opportunities for themselves and contribute to a flourishing society.

Looking at a more immediate economic benefit, when schools are integrated the demand for urban residence decreases. This in turn causes urban housing and rent prices to go down by 6%, meaning families in these areas are more equipped to sustain a livable income because they do not have to pay as much for the houses they are living in. 

The economic benefits range across all race as well, not only benefiting African Americans but also their white counterparts. White students benefit from desegregation as well because it reduces their fear of hostility and their prejudices. Creating this change early on points to change in their later lives. This means interracial colleges and workplaces allowing cultures to blend and goods to be more widely available. This also allows them to serve more customers and work together with their coworkers far better, no matter their race, leading to a higher economic return.

As you have seen, integrating schools benefits the students by increasing their likelihood of receiving both a high school diploma and college degree; as well as creating more interracial workplaces in their futures leading to decreased costs, increased availability of goods, and ultimately increased wealth for both the individual and our nation.