Kamala Harris favors reinstating school busing but has no plan to show for it – Washington Examiner

Sen. Kamala Harris supports reinstating school busing to boost school integration and help combat racial animus and inequality that still linger in this country.

But the Democratic presidential candidate has so far not offered any specific details for such a plan regarding a topic that rocketed to the national spotlight when Harris confronted 2020 front-runner Joe Biden on the debate stage this week about his opposition to federal desegregation busing as a senator in the 1970s.

“Yes,” was the sole answer Harris national press secretary Ian Sams said Thursday on Twitter in response to whether the California Democrat supports reinstating busing policies for the present day. He further told National Review, “We haven’t put a plan out on that or anything, but she supports desegregation.”

The New York Times additionally reported the Harris campaign said the candidate “supported busing as a method for school integration,” but “the campaign declined to provide additional information.”

The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.

Busing came to the forefront of the first 2020 Democratic presidential debate when Harris criticized Biden for opposition to busing by the Department of Education decades ago.

“I will direct this at vice president Biden, I do not believe you are a racist, and I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground, but I also believe and it’s personal and it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senator who is built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country,” the 54-year-old California senator said Thursday.

“It was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing. There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day. That little girl was me,” Harris said.

Biden, 76, struggled to defend his anti-busing record, saying he did not oppose court-ordered busing but was against busing ordered by the Department of Education.

Biden came under fire by fellow Democrats after his past comments opposing busing resurfaced and his recent reminiscences about working with pro-segregationist Democratic senators.

After the Thursday debate, several Democratic presidential contenders said they were open to new busing policies.

“I am really concerned about the growing segregation — once again — the resegregation of communities all over this country. We’re seeing more and more schools which are being segregated. And that is something we have to deal with,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said. “Busing is one tool,” the 77-year-old Vermont independent added when pressed again if he would use busing to fight segregation in schools.

“I think every child should be able to go to a good public school. And as president I will assure that. If it needs busing, it needs busing,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told reporters.

Support for Biden dropped 10 points (41.5% to 31.5%), according to one poll, after what was widely viewed as a rough debate performance for him. Harris saw the largest gain in support in the poll, jumping nearly 9 points from 7.9% to 16.6%.