Joan B. Dawson: Case Study

Ever since Wilson High School opened its racial integration program, it changed from a prestigious, high achieving school to one filled with “at risk” students. Those new students get in fights often, skip school regularly, and have been in and out of jail throughout their lives. Because of their sketchy background, most of these students were treated differently and unequally than the other students at school. This issue has definitely gotten much better over time, and in today’s era we barely see much segregation at all.

Sixty-two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled the “separate but equal” doctrine unconstitutional. The decision from the Plessy v. Ferguson case was lawfully denounced by the Brown v. Board of Education. The Brown case, which was initiated by the members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), served as a stimulus for challenging segregation in all areas of society, especially in public educational institutions. Among the support for the desegregation in school systems, there was a young yet compelling voice who was heard by numerous ears in the rural city in Farmville, Alabama. The virtuous and determined Barbara Johns, who was only a high school student then led her tiny, hovel-like school’s student body and the Farmville community to file a lawsuit in the hope of terminating the inequality in regards to the educational system.

With landmark Supreme Court decisions in regards to education such as Brown v Board of Education, which made segregation within schools illegal, one would be inclined to believe that modern schools are void of any inequality. However, at a deeper glance, it is apparent that there is a glaring inequality within public school systems at the national, statewide, and even district-wide level. Such an inequality has drastic results as the education one receives has a high correlation to the college they will attend, and the job they will work. It is in society's best interest that public school systems be improved to equally supplement students with the tools necessary to succeed. While the public school system aims to reduce the inequality within it, they have proven ineffective in guaranteeing children of all races and economic classes an equal education.

Systematic racism within education Institutions, such as the lack of adequate funding as well as subtle discrimination, continues to be the root of the problem that plagues this nation. Even though segregation was abolished in 1964, the lingering effects that remain are significant and cannot be passively mended. Although it is tempting to think that this prejudice is caused by a select few and not the many, it is clear that this problem holds more depth. Recent studies conducted by the National Education Studies (NEA) have proven that even in school’s African American students are often times targeted and punished at a significantly higher rate when compared to their white peers. The study states “Black students make up almost 40 percent of all school expulsions [in the] nation, and more than two thirds of students referred to police from schools are either black or Hispanic” (Blacks: Education Issues). This study conducted by the Department of Education, cabinet-level department of the United States

Ware Shoals Elem. Middle School was once called Emma Maddox School, it was dedicated in memory of Emma Melinda Malden Walker Maddox. The school was built in the 1950’s, so she never saw the school being built. They said she was a very strong disciplinarian and she valued education. I think Mrs. Maddox would be honored if she knew that a school was dedicated to

In the case of Robert Russa High School, Black residents lobbied the Prince Edward County school district to erect a separate African-American high school. Their request was met with tepid support from the local school board. However, “under pressure from local black professional men, during the 1920s the Prince Edward County School Board reluctantly added high school grades to the all-black Mary E. Branch Elementary School. The blame for such slow and inadequate effort was always placed on the lack of funds. Although it was true that financing problems existed, all-white schools still tended to fare better.” (VA GOV). The façade of “separate but equal” continued to shape political rhetoric for the Prince Edward County School Board. However, Robert Russa High School’s creation and establishment amid white institutional pushback demonstrated the power of “Black persistence” in Farmville,

In Nikole Hannah-Jones’ “The Resegregation of Jefferson County” shows the event that recently happened in Gardendale, Alabama where the group of parents named itself FOCUS (Future of Our Community Utilizing School) try to separate Gardendale’s schools from Jefferson County school district. One of the Focus creator, David Salters, explained that the primary goal of operation for secession is to take control over the local education and local funds, which would provide a better environment and better future for local students. Jones argues that the main reason for secession is to separate white community from the black population of the county. This attempt of secession is a similarity of a landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, and Jefferson County is one of a hundred school system that still constrained by desegregation court order.

Sumter County School District 17 is a public school district in South Carolina. T.H. is a student who qualifies for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Sumter County School is appealing the decision of the lower district court, who found that the school district did not provide TH with a Free Appropriate Public Education. The school is also appealing the district court’s findings, which verified that T.H’.s current placement at home was appropriate. The school argues that the home placement of T.H. was not the Least Restrictive Environment. The school district’s appeal further contends that they at least in part provided a FAPE for T.H. because he was making some educational gains during the time in question even though the school was not providing the amount of service indicated in T.H.’s Individualized Education Plan. The school also asserts that they remedied internal problems and were able to provide the full range of time and services require through T.H.’s IEP.

On May 17, 1954 the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision was read: “We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other “tangible” factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does.” The Supreme Court diminished the idea of ‘separate but equal’ and showed it had no place public education.

We have come to understand public education in the United States as a core principle of one’s rights as a citizen in spite of it not explicitly guaranteed within the Constitution. Despite the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, we continue to witness the fight for complete and total integration within our public schools and thus, racial equality. The 14th Amendment forbid states from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, but was unclear in terms of it’s exact intention with respect to public education. As a result, were unable to see the effective use and enforcement of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments until approximately the 1940s for a number reasons, but I believe that structural racism is the foremost cause. Today, we find ourselves struggling to achieve full integration within our public school system due to the covert intentions behind structural racism and therefore, it’s ability to overpower the law. Structural racism has the ability to impact legal authority in such a way where we end up with a lack of appropriate enforcement legislation at the Supreme Court level and a lack of acknowledgement and remedies for de jure segregation and thus, it is the primary cause of the current segregation within the American public school system.

Mary C. Donaldson was employed by the Board of Education of the City of North Wildwood from January 1967 through June 1969 as a teacher at the Margaret Mace Elementary School.

The School Desegregation Decision of the United States Supreme Court signified the end of a clashing national minority game plan - heightened of a total of parts in perspective of two incongruent sorts of human affiliation and control, greater part manage government and "white supremacy." In pivoting Plessy v. Ferguson it, basically, signified the legitimate end to required restriction of one social affair of subjects from another with no attempt at being subtle workplaces essentially because of race. While the brisk issue involved in these cases was government financed schools, it toppled the basic legitimate perspective whereupon the whole course of action of separation has made since 1896. Coming about decisions seem to derive that the new thought has wide congruity in future suits concerning Negro-white relations. In the Maryland Park Case (Dawson v. Pioneer and City Council of Balti-more City, et. al; U. S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, March 14, 1955, 220 F 2d 386) including the benefit to use open kept up shorelines and shower houses, the United States Supreme Court settled on offer that the lead set up in the School Segregation Cases associated also to state and close-by recreational workplaces. It communicated to a restricted degree that "if that er (police control) can 't be summoned to bolster racial detachment schools, where cooperation is vital and racial rubbing may prepended from the executed existing together of the races, it can 't oversaw with respect

"...if the colored children are denied the experience in school of associating with white children, who represent 90 percent of our national society in which these colored children must live, then the colored child's curriculum is being greatly curtailed. The Topeka curriculum or any school curriculum cannot be equal under segregation."

The old 1905 schoolhouse on 50 Church Street is over 100 years old, which is cause enough to pause and appreciate its impact and place in this community. Along with creating hearts to decorate the building and declare support for its restoration, the day consisted of history, performances, and food. A notable addition to the day was having Ruth Dunn Reid, who is 97 years old, attend the event with her daughter Linda Reid Wallace. Ruth went to school in the building all of grade school and her mother, Mary Dunn, was a teacher and a principal at 50 Church for many years. Linda attended Kindergarten in the 1905 building before going to the new Quincy Elementary school, which opened in 1950. Additionally, Robert Schoensee, the previous PUSD Superintendent during the early 1960s, veteran, and longtime community member, was present at the event with his family.

Father, I’m interceding on the behalf of Christopher J. Lewis, Daria Dillard and I ask you to strengthen their leadership and ignite great discernment to them and as well other school board members; Principal Jessica Hillery and Assistant Principal Robert Bowes as they launch new strategies that empower the next generation to excel in all their academic tasks. May you grant them wisdom and insight to execute your plans and purposes (II Timothy 2:15) and give them insight and wisdom to handle any adverse situation they face. Amen.