Voluntary superschools become the model for the future
Webster Elementary School is in an aging, tired neighborhood of East San Diego. In 1976 it had four white students and 291 blacks and Hispanics, and an academic record that seemed to stress failure. But in 1977, when San Diego was ordered by the courts to integrate its schools, things changed greatly at Webster. It began to emphasize reading, writing and arithmetic; homework became mandatory, and a dress code was established. Today, Webster's enrollment is 211 whites and 285 minority students.
What happened to Webster is...