As we head toward May 17th—the 71st anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education—we reflect on the work of those who came before us, on the changes that landmark decision wrought, and yes, on the ways that Brown’s promise was curtailed and undermined. We reflect, but we do not despair, because we know the remedy. It won’t come from the courts; it has to come from us.
Thurgood Marshall, who argued the Brown case, believed that “unless our children learn together, there is little hope our people will learn to live together.” We know that progress toward ending segregation peaked in the 1980s and we have been backsliding ever since. Is it any wonder that income inequality and political polarization have increased so sharply?
And so at Integrated Schools, we don’t celebrate this anniversary so much as we pledge to fulfill the hope that our children will learn together and our people will learn to live together.
The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves.
John Adams,
US President, 1785
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the events of the past few months, days, even hours. But here’s something important to remember: the very existence of public education is revolutionary. Like the “self-evident” truth that we all are created equal and endowed with the “unalienable rights” to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the vision of free, open, inclusive education for all was revolutionary when first proposed; took nearly a century to establish nationwide; and remains a vision worth fighting for today.
The radical idea of ensuring “the education of the whole people” has always had to battle with efforts on the part of privileged communities to hoard and concentrate resources. As individuals – particularly those of us with economic and racial privilege – we need to resist the undertow of a scarcity mindset. We need to vote – with our feet as well as our ballots – for an equitable, integrated, and universal system of public education that uplifts all children, not just our own.
What You Can Do on May 17
May 17th is an opportunity to recommit to the notion that separate is inherently unequal and that our democracy depends on integrated public education. Here’s how you can make an impact:
Wear Your Shirt: Get your “Public Schools Save Democracy” shirt and wear it on May 17. Show the world that you stand for public schools, that you believe in democracy, and that you believe in the promise of Brown v Board.- Speak Out: Take a moment to speak at a school board meeting, write a letter to the editor or to your elected officials, or just have a conversation with someone in your community. Connect with your local teachers’ union, sign up with HEAL Together to find out if there is a Public School Strong organizing effort in your area. Lend your voice and your support to coalitions in your own community, especially those led by people of color.
- Deepen Your Involvement: If you have been following Integrated Schools for a while, take the next step. Connect with other caregivers on the integration journey. Participate in a Book Club session, reach out to a chapter or a network contact near you—or help grow our movement by becoming a network contact or joining with others in your area to start a new chapter.
- Support the Campaign: And, of course, your support is what will keep this work going. Whether you donate once, join as a sustaining member, or simply spread the word, your support feeds this movement.
Ours is a movement built on a few very simple ideas: that each of us has a part to play in disrupting segregation; that “woke” is not an end state but an ongoing effort to know better and do better; and that people like us do things like this. Public schools need us all now more than ever. WE can ensure that democracy thrives by choosing to learn together in fully-funded public schools where every child’s full humanity is recognized and embraced, and every child’s full potential can be realized.
We are at a crossroads. We can do this. Together.
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