Willie Asks Cooperation of Boston Schools To Aid in Implementation of Masters' Plan

Charles V. Willie, Professor of Education and Urban Studies at the Ed School and one of the desegregation masters appointed by U.S. District Judge W. Arthur Garrity Jr., said yesterday that the universities participating in the masters plan must have a "guarantee that their recommendations will not be arbitrarily dismissed by school administrators."

Mutual Contract

"Of course the role the schools and universities will play will be determined by a mutual contract, but the schools must be willing to consider the recommendations of the universities." Willie told an audience of more than 100 at the Ed School.

Willie answered questions from a panel made up of two students and one professor from the Ed School. The two-day forum on Boston School Desegregation at Ed School.

Garrity appointed the masters to draw up a plan for the desegregation of Boston's schools. He is now renewing their plan.

Willie said that every school and university must draw up a "bill of particulars" for what the university can do for the schools. The universities must "go beyond tutoring, Clearly more than that," he said, but he would not comment further on what the universities could do.

Willie called busing a "fake issue" that was being pushed by political leaders and community groups. Since 30,000 students were being bused in the Boston area before Judge Garrity ordered busing, he said, transportation in a major urban area is not an important issue.

Willie said he did not expect the universities "to make available revenue" for the masters plan because the schools must operate on the basis of public taxes.

"We cannot divert profit from private organizations for something that is the taxpayers' responsibility," he said.

On the federal level, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare has been contacted but as yet has not come through with funding, he said. The state government has already provided some funding for the plan.

Willie said that if the masters' Proposals were followed, next year would "be a year of desegregated education in Boston without violence."