Three basic reasons commend metropolitan approaches to public school desegregation in urban America. The first of these reasons is widely understood: the racial demography of many of the nation's cities demands a metropolitan perspective on the process. Related to this factor is the second reason: metropolitan approaches deter resegregation. Finally, a range of desirable goals for an effective school desegregation program--such as furthering genuine integration, cost and transportational efficiency, equity, and parental choice--can all be more effectively advanced within a metropolitan context. Yet there are many misconceptions about this view of school desegregation. This paper considers each of the three reasons for metropolitan solutions to public school desegregation and discusses the misconceptions held about these solutions. (Author/WI)