Recalling historic decision on education Recalling historic decision on education (May 05, 2004)

By Henry Organ

As is well known to many, May marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case, Brown vs. Board of Education. In this case, the high court declared, unanimously, the "separate-but-equal" doctrine to be unconstitutional.

This case is of relevance to me because I was born and attended racially segregated elementary and high schools in Denison, Texas, graduating in 1947. Indeed, the schools for whites and blacks were separate; they were not equal physically or fiscally.

I was not active in the public school sector on the Mid-Peninsula until I was appointed to the Sequoia Union High School District board of trustees in the late 1960s by J. Russell Kent, the county's superintendent of schools. I recall Dr. Kent as being a gentle and kind man. My appointment came at a time when the district apparently felt it was not doing as much as it should to address the educational needs of students of color.

At the time, there was considerable unrest within the Ravenswood High School attendance area. It was during this period that I was able to appreciate, as a trustee, the importance and challenges of public schools, and how many districts did not address the needs of communities of color and of the poor.

While the Brown decision was addressing legal aspects of segregated public schools, de facto discrimination existed in many other parts of the country, including the Mid-Peninsula. Among the problems were tracking within the high schools, culturally biased tests, inequitable funding among districts statewide, and red-lining and its relationship to drawing attendance areas.

Another problem was racial bias in disciplining students. This was no surprise, in that the state Superintendent of Public Instruction at the time was Max Rafferty, a believer in strict law and order. It was also a time when local individuals of similar political leanings were on the Sequoia Board (Dean Watkins); and, on the UC Board of Regents (Glenn Campbell of the Hoover Institution, who was joined later by the same Dean Watkins).

During the same period, I recall being warmly received by teachers in the district; names like Orrin and Carol Cross, Joyce Fulton and Bob Marks come to mind.

As I reflect on the gravity of the Brown decision, I must quote from important words written by Chief Justice Earl Warren, writing for the court:

"Today, education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments. Compulsory school attendance laws and the great expenditures for education both demonstrate our recognition of the importance of education to our democratic society."

I think public schools are one of the most insightful institutions conceived by a relatively infant nation. Nevertheless, I think some individuals are so opposed to the Brown decision that they are willing to see public institutions fail, by design or abandonment, rather than carry out the mandates of the Supreme Court. This national judicial mandate is no less warranted on the peninsula. Vouchers, some charter schools and similar strategies, are part of this design to weaken public schools. This is a myopic strategy the nation will regret.

Perhaps the Brown anniversary will be a useful stimulus for peninsula, state and federal leaders in the public sector to re-examine and correct this unfortunate and unwise course of action. A unified and strong public educational system is the only way of leaving no child behind, President Bush's ambitious national program to upgrade student performance.

Henry Organ lives in Menlo Park and is a member of the Almanac's Panel of Contributors.

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