As Black History Month comes to a close and we prepare to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, we examine an educational system in California that remains very much separate and unequal. Opening the schoolhouse doors to all students has not meant equal opportunities or equal outcomes. And it certainly hasn’t meant equal or equitable access to high-quality teachers, rigorous classes, and resources that would help low-performing students achieve. When we look at the data, we see that, tragically, the spirit and the promise of Brown have yet to be realized in the Golden State.
Published: August 15, 2004