School ‘Resegregation’ Strongly Associated With Drinking Among Black Girls

In 1954, the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision ruled that school racial segregation was unconstitutional, resulting in racial integration of schools in the 1960s-1970s. However, since the 1990s, courts have eased desegregation policies. A new study, “School Racial Segregation and the Health of Black Children,” in the May 2022 Pediatrics (published online April 18) found trends toward school racial “resegregation” are associated with increased behavioral problems among Black school-aged children and unhealthier drinking behaviors, especially among girls. Researchers examined data on child health and behaviors of 1,248 Black children who ever lived in districts under desegregation orders in 1991 and found greater school segregation was associated with increased behavioral problems that could affect their long-term well-being. The students studied were more likely to drink alcohol and drink at least monthly, and this impact was stronger among girls. The study states that these findings align with known stressful impacts of school segregation, including harsher disciplinary treatment at racially segregated schools, more frequent police contacts, higher teacher turnover, less experienced teachers, limited material resources, and crowded classrooms. Researchers concluded that these results show that interventions are needed to improve the school environment for Black children, including reintegrating, reforming school funding formulas, and reducing harsh treatment of Black children, but more research is needed to evaluate the effects of such policies on educational and health inequities.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.