SUBURBAN DISTRICTS SHOULD KEEP TRANSFER STUDENTS

St. Louis public schools have stopped re-admitting city students who transferred to and then expelled from suburban schools.

It is a policy change that makes sense.

As part of the desegregation efforts in St. Louis, thousands of city students are bused to suburban districts. With them goes a chunk of money.

Some St. Louis administrators felt the suburban districts take the desegregation dollars but then ship back "troubled" students to the city. The state allocation for those students, however, stayed in the suburban districts.

Since 1980, Missouri has spent an incredible $1.4 billion on desegregation programs in St. Louis and Kansas City.

The St. Louis district's policy change is long overdue. Districts that get the money should keep the students. Period. Districts involved with desegregation should follow the same rules as everyone else.