Education: Integration by Magnets

The idea seems simple enough: create schools with special programs, and they will attract students from all parts of the city. Such "magnet" schools are becoming increasingly popular not only as a means of providing superior education—and not just to the brightest children—but also as a method of desegregation. Detroit started some magnets four years ago; new ones are planned for Chicago and New York. Last week thousands of Boston parents signed their children up for a variety of innovative courses, ranging from aviation technology to bilingual studies, in 22 magnet schools due...