Looking Back At Brown v Board, Not In Anger But With Concern | Teachers College Columbia University

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Looking Back At Brown v Board, Not In Anger But With Concern

Two years ago, many Americans celebrated the 50th anniversary of Brown v Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that attempted to outlaw "separate but equal" education. However, thousands of American kids were still ensconced in segregated public schools. For example, 70 percent of African-American students attended schools that were "majority minority," and more than a third of black kids attended schools that were 90 to 100 percent minority.
Two years ago, many Americans celebrated the 50th anniversary of Brown v Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that attempted to outlaw "separate but equal" education. However, thousands of American kids were still ensconced in segregated public schools. For example, 70 percent of African-American students attended schools that were "majority minority," and more than a third of black kids attended schools that were 90 to 100 percent minority.

Indeed, "the most critical problem in education that faces black America is the problem of the gap in academic achievement" between whites and blacks, according to Edmund W. Gordon, founder and director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, in his essay in the current bestseller, The Covenant With Black America.

This article, written by Betty Baye, appeared in the June 8th, 2006 publication of The Courier-Journal.

Published Tuesday, Jun. 13, 2006

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