busing

or bus·sing

[ buhs-ing ]

noun

the transporting of students by bus to schools outside their neighborhoods, especially as a means of achieving socioeconomic or racial diversity among students in a public school.

Origin of busing

1885–90; bus¹ (v.) + -ing¹, spelled irregular with single s, perhaps to avoid association with buss

Words Nearby busing

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use busing in a sentence

The much-awaited analysis comes after more than two years of community discussion and study, which sparked debate about race, income and fairness — and “long-distance busing” — in suburban, liberal Montgomery County.
Much-awaited analysis of school boundaries in Montgomery County tackles diversity, crowding | Donna St. George | May 13, 2021 | Washington Post
Many skeptics said they appreciate diversity but oppose busing and want to preserve neighborhood ties and student friendships that are already formed.
Much-awaited analysis of school boundaries in Montgomery County tackles diversity, crowding | Donna St. George | May 13, 2021 | Washington Post
The report did not include any mass busing plan, as some had feared.
Much-awaited analysis of school boundaries in Montgomery County tackles diversity, crowding | Donna St. George | May 13, 2021 | Washington Post
Bill Winkler, the owner of Peoria Charter Coach, a busing company in Illinois, said that the business back on its feet after coming to a halt earlier in the pandemic.
Economy picked up just 266,000 jobs in April, well below expectations as economy struggles to rebound | Eli Rosenberg | May 7, 2021 | Washington Post
There is an onslaught of factors to consider, he said — for one thing, Fairfax must develop new busing protocols, which involve cleaning the buses on both morning and evening routes.
Fairfax schools will try to make fall as close to ‘pre-pandemic normal’ as possible | Hannah Natanson | April 21, 2021 | Washington Post

Hell, even the band-aid of busing was enough to spark a huge backlash to civil rights laws.
When America Said "No" to the War on Segregation | Jamelle Bouie | February 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Full integration, Colby argues, requires far more than policies like busing and affirmative action.
When America Said "No" to the War on Segregation | Jamelle Bouie | February 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Instead, busing was a failure—conceptually and substantively—because of faulty liberal assumptions.
When America Said "No" to the War on Segregation | Jamelle Bouie | February 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Rather, a biracial coalition of interests saw busing as one of many tools in the fight for integration.
When America Said "No" to the War on Segregation | Jamelle Bouie | February 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I have criticized busing myself as liberal overreach and a remedy that was bound to inspire backlash.
A Little Charlotte History | Michael Tomasky | September 4, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
This situation was unusual for the Navy although integrated busing had been standard practice in the Army since mid-1944.
Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965 | Morris J. MacGregor, Jr.

Cultural definitions for busing

busing

The movement of students from one neighborhood to a school in another neighborhood, usually by bus and usually to break down de facto segregation of public schools.

Notes for busing

A Supreme Court decision in 1971 ruling that busing was an appropriate means of achieving integrated schools (see integration) was received with widespread, sometimes violent, resistance, particularly among whites into whose neighborhoods and schools black children were to be bused. In 1991, the Court ruled that school districts could end busing if they had done everything “practicable” to eliminate the traces of past discrimination.

Browse