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Supreme Court guilty of perpetuating miseducation |
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 Thursday, June 28, 2007 is a date that will go down in educational infamy. The Supreme Court’s split decision to invalidate voluntary school desegregation has effectually compromised the spirit and intent of Brown v. Board of Education while paving the way for a greater educational divide between the races.
The highest court in the land issued its ruling in response to school assignment plans used in Seattle and Louisville, Ky.
The Seattle plan gave students the opportunity to attend their high school of choice but did consider race if the racial balance in a particular school was disproportionate.
T he Louisville K-12 plan was actually adopted when their educational system was operating under the auspices of a federal desegregation order. Much like the Seattle plan, students in the Louisville system were offered school choices with race only being a determinant in circumstances where the racial balance of the school was in question.
The commitment to effective school integration was challenged in both districts by parents who deemed these efforts to be in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Despite facilitating a diverse learning environment and diminishing the likelihood of separate and unequal facilities, our esteemed high jurists ruled that Seattle and Louisville were acting unconstitutionally. The only thing that was missing from the decision was Alabama Governor George Wallace standing on the Supreme Court steps echoing his sentiments from his 1963 inaugural speech; “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever.”
Though some might regard my characterization of this decision as hyperbolic or a paranoid overreaction, you have to understand the power of the precedent. With this ruling, the heavy door which had once been shut on states’ rights to institutional discrimination has been thrown wide open for those parents and school boards who desire to limit diversity and maintain their racial comfort zones.
In deliberating this issue, the Supreme Court neglected to consider one important question; “What is the purpose of education?” To relegate the educational mission to solely academics is the epitome of myopia and an indication as to why the United States is at the bottom of the global class when it comes to education. Though often characterized as another philosophical flag waved by liberals while wearing their customary rose-colored glasses; diversity is an important component in this ruling.
Diversity in the classroom facilitates the socialization lessons that all of our children need in order to exist and thrive in an increasingly multicultural society. Amazingly enough, in 1971 then Chief Justice Warren Burger was able to articulate the importance of school integration when he noted that even if it did not improve educational outcomes, racial integration helped “to prepare students to live in a pluralistic society.” If a Chief Justice could see the writing on the wall in 1971 how could the Supreme Court in 2007 not do the same? Justice may be blind, but should still possess intelligent foresight.
Another unfortunate byproduct of this decision is the widening of the educational chasm as it pertains to equity of resources based on race and socioeconomics. Minority and poor communities are often one in the same. In the vast majority of these communities, the resources afforded to their schools are as sparse as the rays of hope that part the clouds of poverty that hang over their neighborhoods.
The disparity in educational opportunity may not be as broad as in 1954 when Thurgood Marshall argued the Brown case; however there is still a measurable difference in the resources afforded to predominantly minority, inner-city schools and predominantly white suburban schools.
Until there is a guarantee of better schools and improved education across the board, limitations to school integration represent limitations to professional outcomes within our most needy communities; and if this country were truly committed to the improvement of education and the disintegration of racism, legislative limitations to voluntary school desegregation would not be part of our national curriculum.
Richard McCulloch is the vice president of operations and
director of student services at The School of Health Careers in Lauderdale Lakes.
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Pictured above is former Alabama Governor George Wallace.
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