Shirley Walters Kiel: A Resentful Voice

Shirley Walters Kiel, 55, is a member of the St. Louis school board and an ardent opponent of busing and affirmative action.

“Most people in ((predominantly white)) south St. Louis resent being told they have to put their children on the bus, and the schools are going down, down, down. A lot of people perceive that when quite a few blacks move in, there is a lot more crime, and in ((mostly black)) north St. Louis there are more gangs and drugs. The main thing is that a lot of white people in our country came over after the Civil War and don’t feel responsible for slavery. I resent affirmative action and quota systems. Quite a few white people get angry that black people are getting preferential treatment. We’ve done enough to make up for any wrongs.”