Racially Divided Schools: The Supreme Court was right- but for the wrong reason

As a product of forced busing in the 1960’s I can speak to the issue from a unique perspective. I was among a few token whites bused into a black school as part of the New York City “Integrate the schools” movement.
At the time, the majority of bussed kids were blacks coming from overflowing ghetto schools to the shrinking white enclaves of Manhattan, My parents were strong believers in what some call a social experiment, others saw it as an essential way to bring back the melting pot that commingled millions of immigrants earlier in our nation’s history.
Our white neighbors threw rocks through our windows in protest of my parents’ actions and beliefs. The crumpled rubber banded paper that read “Nigger Lover” was a particularly succinct and vitriolic message.
The nation’s courts ruled at the same time that Public Systems across the country needed to racially balance their schools. The belief was that white kids had great schools, and black kids had abysmal ones. Mixing students would level the playing field and offer a fair and equitable education for all.
Forty years later the Supreme court handed down a split judgment that the experiment was over. Race was no longer as a reason to offer a leg up to blacks even if oppressed, or a basis to restrict the opportunities of whites, even if they were already privileged students.
My experience as a token white, in an extremely racially and culturally diverse elementary school was enlightening, educational and unforgettable. I learned that being poor did not mean being dumb; just that their parents usually were too busy working to survive to instill the higher education vision that richer, more educated parents strive for. And black kids did not throw rocks at white houses.
In reality, in most communities, integrating schools along racial lines realistically brought poor students from neighborhoods with less experienced teachers into better schools with more experienced teachers. In many states, it also led to the panic of white flight; further segregating and isolating communities along racial and income lines.
The Supremes are probably right now. Race is not, and never was the real differentiator. It was, and is, poverty and culture. Students in poor communities perform poorly in almost every aspect of educational measurement. Students in rich communities inherently perform much better.
Yes, race and poverty are inexorably linked, but race alone is NOT the culprit. Regardless of the reason, generational poverty has and will breed generations of failing students. We need to find ways to break the cycle of educational ghettos.
Our schools should be integrated, not along racial lines, But along fiscal and cultural ones. Our schools need to be financed fairly for all and students need to learn in classes that are not homogenous.
Students of all races, cultures and income levels need to learn together by bringing financially and culturally disadvantaged students into the same classes as those of privilege.
Only by allowing our kids to see and learn in financially stable schools within the diversity of America will we be able to finally and ultimately allow every child to envision and attain the American Dream.