Busing refers to the practice of transporting students to schools outside their local neighborhoods, often to promote racial integration and equal educational opportunities. This method became prominent in the United States during the 1970s as a response to the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The goal of busing was to reduce the effects of de facto segregation, where schools were segregated due to residential patterns rather than laws. While some viewed busing as a necessary step toward equality, others opposed it, leading to significant debates and protests in various communities.