On May 17, 1954 the Supreme Court handed down a decision declaring “In the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place.” At the time it was seen as a major judicial move, one that was supposed to end segregation in schools forever.
But today, critics say that the Brown versus the Board of Education decision has failed to achieve its promise. They point to a sustained backlash against busing, white flight from urban areas, and a failure to balance resources between schools, as reasons why minorities still receive an inferior education. Others say that Brown’s short comings just show that integration is not the key to excellence in education.
Guests:
Ted Shaw, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Randolph Carter, diversity educator;
Dr. Gertrude Hill, principal, Harlan High School in Chicago.