The “Groundswell” parents challenged the Carlin Court assignment of San Diego children from the time it was assumed on March 10, 1977 until, with their counsel, they ended that case and restored local control July 1, 1998. The success of the Groundswell Intervenors, hopefully, can encourage equally dedicated parents toward restoring local control of assignment of their children now under court control in over four hundred class actions.

The key to Groundswell success was the conjoining of the parents and their counsel in their reliance upon the Constitution in restoring local control of the public education of San Diego students.
 

Groundswell Parents and Their Counsel Rely Upon the Constitution in Regaining in Local Control of Public School Student Assignment in San Diego

The San Diego parent effort in behalf of local control began after the court mandate March 10, 1977 that their school board take additional steps to “alleviate (de facto) segregation.” In late spring, 1977, their school board held a series of meetings, the tenor of which was described by the Groundswell leader as “get ready because it's (busing) coming and there is nothing you can do about it.” Their response that summer was to gather, and then present to their U.S. Representative, over 22,300 signatories for a Neighborhood Schools Amendment to the Constitution including a provision that “(no) student shall be compelled to attend public school other than the one nearest his residence....” Although these early petitioners did not produce results, they continued to exercise First
 

Carlin v. Board of Education, San Diego Unified School District,
San Diego Superior Court No. 303800 (1967-1998)
San Diego, California
Enstrom: pro bono counsel, 1979-1998
 

Board of Education v. Superior Court, 61 Cal.App.4th 411 (Feb.1998)
[conclusion of Carlin v. Board of Education]
San Diego, California
Enstrom: pro bono counsel
   

— Handbook: Challenge Six, pages 75 - 84 —