HOLLIS, N.H. — Despite signaling that he would consider new school busing programs as president, Sen. Bernie Sanders refused to answer any new questions on the topic following a campaign stop Saturday evening.
After addressing a group of New Hampshire Democrats at the Hillsborough County Democrats Grassroots Award Dinner, Sanders declined to speak with two reporters just before exiting the event, despite initially signaling interest.
“Sure, what do you got?” the Vermont Independent answered after being asked if he had time to answer questions, yet quickly started heading for a back exit after being asked to elaborate on his recent comments that “busing is one tool” to help end de-facto segregation in schools.
Sanders also did not answer questions from the Washington Examiner about what busing would look like in 2019 and how his White House would implement such a policy.
In 1974, Sanders said that “the government doesn’t give a sh** about black people” and that busing programs create “racial hostility where it did not previously exist.”
Yet following a campaign event in South Carolina this month, Sanders expressed interest in revisiting the policy, telling National Review that a modern iteration of busing might be warranted.
“I am really concerned about the growing segregation — once again — the resegregation of communities all over this country,” he said. “We’re seeing more and more schools which are being segregated. And that is something we have to deal with.”
At the Democratic primary debate Thursday, California Sen. Kamala Harris made headlines for directly challenging former Vice President Joe Biden on his own history opposing the practice.
“You also worked with [Southern segregationists] to oppose busing,” the 54-year-old Democrat said. “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.”
In response, Biden defended his record by claiming he only opposed busing efforts federally mandated through the Department of Education.
