Communally organized, as opposed to bureaucratically organized, schools are expected to provide significant advantages to students in terms of their cognitive and social growth. However, for students to avail themselves of these benefits, they need to experience school as a community. One factor that may influence whether students view their…

Reports results of a study examining same race and cross race friendship choices of Black and White elementary school students in desegregated classrooms. Found that Blacks showed a stronger tendency than Whites to segregate racially in the selection of friends regardless of the racial composition of the classroom. (Author/GC)

The effects of classroom climate, organization of instruction, and class racial composition on the interracial friendliness of students in desegregated classrooms were studied. (PCB)

Examines the effects of individual-, dyadic-, group-, and classroom-level variables on cross-race friendship choices. Analysis shows that a student's environment creates both constraints on and opportunities for interracial friendships. Constraints and opportunities affect both black and white students. (PS)

This study examines the effects of racial composition of a classroom on students' cross-race and same-race friendships. Two "theories" of interracial sociability are discussed. The first argues that interracial friendliness is affected primarily by the number of opportunities students have for cross-race interaction relative to same-race…

This longitudinal study of fourth through seventh graders in desegregated classrooms showed that interracial friendships are almost as stable as same-race friendships. The stability of both types is influenced by classroom characteristics. Schools can adopt policies that promote friendships between Black and White students. (Author/VM)

Examination of data from the sophomore and senior cohorts of the High School and Beyond survey reveals that students are only one-sixth as likely to choose a cross-race than a same-race peer as a friend. Controls for school and individual variables account for only a third of this differential. (Author/BJV)