Arizona Sun

Open Enrollment Rejected By NAACP For Plainfield Schools

PLAINFIELD, N. J. - In an action which marks the first of its kind the executive committee of the Plainfield NAACP branch unanimously opposed as "completely unacceptable" the open enrollment plan proposed by the Plainfield Board of Education at its regular meeting on July 17.

The board's proposal came as a result of NAACP requests to end segregated education in the Plainfield schools. At the Association's urging in June, 1961, a Lay Citizens Advisory Committee was established and Dr. Max Wolff was engaged to act as consultant to examine existing segregation and formulate recommendations by June, 1962.

Meeting with Miss June Shagaloff, the NAACP committee voted to reject the plan promptly following its adoption by the Board of Education.

The plan for open enrollment set aside two alternate recommendations made by the committee: rezoning of the existing school districts or reorganization of the schools under the "Princeton Plan." The study specifically rejected the possibility of open enrollment as a solution stating that "under this plan the goals of good balance throughout the system and of ending segregation... could not be met."

The NAACP charged that the board had ignored the recommendations of the school-sponsored study and the work of the citizens' committee. Miss Shagaloff stated: "It has chosen instead to substitute not only the least effective desegregation plan but one which is no more than a carefully hedged, minimal transfer plan which fails to meet the Board's educational and legal responsibilities to end existing segregation."

In protesting the action of the school board the NAACP said: "If the board fails to adopt a meaningful desegregation plan, the NAACP will seek redress through the Commissioner of Education and, if necessary, the courts. We will also seek to engage in other forms of direct action to assure for all children in Plainfield, non-segregated, equal educational opportunities."