Leo Lucas Oral History Interview (SC-262)

The collection consists of a 26 minute interview of Dayton City school board member Leo Lucas, conducted by West Carrollton High School Student Mark Benbow in the summer of 1975 for a government class assignment. The assignment involved selecting an issue and interviewing a person in local government. Mark chose the controversy over busing to desegregate Dayton Public Schools. During the interview, Mr. Lucas explains the history of busing for integrating schools in Dayton. He also explains the magnet programs in segments of Dayton schools aimed at equalizing educational opportunities for students regardless of race. Mr. Lucas explained his position of making the magnet programs involuntary in order to insure students’ interests were served. Lucas also explained his belief that the courts should not be in charge of integrating the schools because they would do it based on color alone. Rather, Mr. Lucas believed that integration should be done on the basis of academic offerings, emphasizing that students should choose the courses they want to pursue and be bused to the schools offering those programs if beyond the two mile distance. At the time, Dayton schools had 69 building and an estimated 40,000 students, according to Mr. Lucas.