Journalist Laura Meckler of the Washington Post discusses her book, Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity. Beginning with a historical overview of the Cleveland suburb and its uncanny ability to propel itself into the national spotlight, Ms. Meckler discusses how the suburb fought segregation and racial covenants to become one of the first integrated communities in Northeast Ohio. The desegregation of Shaker schools has been one of success and challenge, but through the story of busing to classroom leveling, Shaker has come together to work toward the common goal of uplift and opportunity for all.
Laura Meckler is national education writer at the Washington Post, where she covers news, politics and people shaping American schools, her book, Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity was published in 2023.