50 Years Ago Today Oral Arguments Heard in Brown vs. Board of Education, Says Rep. Fattah

12/9/2003

From: Debra C. Anderson, 202-225-4001, for Congressman Chaka Fattah

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), noted that today marks a significant date in America's history. Yet, it will go unnoticed by most.

Dec. 9, 1952, lawyers from the NAACP stood before nine justices at the United States Supreme Court to begin oral arguments in the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case. Few in the courtroom that day realized the case would forever change the direction of America's education system.

Five months later, the court ruled unanimously that, 'the opportunity of an education, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.' Yet, as we approach the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board, we find that adequate and equitable educational opportunities are still being denied to the nation's neediest children.

"Fifty years after Brown, the old adage, the more things change, the more they remain the same, seems particularly fitting when it comes to providing for our children's educational needs," said Fattah.

Courts in 45 of the 50 states have heard challenges to the establishment, maintenance, and operation of public school systems that continue to deny students their basic educational rights. To date, rulings in 25 states have found in favor of the plaintiffs.

"After years of lawsuits, presidential commissions, research studies, and countless news stories, poor children in every state are still the least likely to receive a quality education," said Fattah. "This is no longer a state issue; it's a national issue and a national disgrace."

Immediate and decisive action must be taken to provide our children the educational resources they need to succeed. This can be done with the passage of H. R. 236, The Student Bill of Rights. It requires that all schools provide its students with seven "fundamental" resources. They include highly qualified teachers and principals, small class sizes, updated libraries and materials, appropriate curricula, technology, school counselors, and safe facilities.

Currently, the Student Bill of Rights has the support of over 180 Congressional representatives. Numerous organizations endorse the measure including: the National PTA, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

"To honor the legacy of Brown, we must enact the Student Bill of Rights before we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark education decision," said Fattah.