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Commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board
of Education
May 17, 2004 |
| 50th anniversary of Brown v.
Board of Education: a reminder for action
The Presbyterian Washington Office has shared the
following information, provided by the Leadership Conference on Civil
Rights [5-14-04]
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The Message
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The 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of
Education is a reminder of our duty to strive for equal educational
opportunity for every child in America. We must work harder to improve
education, end poverty and ensure diversity for our nation to compete in
the new economy. |
The Problem
Education
| America does not have quality education for all and
millions of children are still being left behind. Nationally, only
two-thirds of children are graduating from high school, including:
75% of White children
50% of Black children
52% of Hispanic children |
Poverty
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Most students living in poverty attend
substandard schools
In 2002, over 12 million children were living in poverty (up over a half
million from 2000). 32% of African American and 29% of Hispanic children
live in poverty, as do a 12% of Asian American and 14% of White children.
Graduation rates for students who attend school in high poverty, high
minority, and urban school districts lag from 15 to 18 percent behind
their peers. |
Diversity
| Schools are becoming less diverse, giving white and
minority students fewer opportunities to learn from each other.
Half of all schools are now extremely segregated, approximately 4 out of 5
of which are schools that are almost entirely white.
88% extremely segregated minority schools are poor schools, where most of
the students are on free or reduced price lunches. |
The Solution
Quality Education for All
| We must match high expectations for students with high
levels of resources for schools. To fix our schools, we must provide
qualified teachers, dedicated administrators, up-to-date buildings, books
and computers. We must challenge all children with advanced classes and
intensive academic after-school programs so they can achieve more, score
higher and be more likely to graduate and go to college. |
End Poverty
| We must invest in low-income communities to empower
people to break the cycle of poverty. We must support housing and lending
policies that provide homeownership choices and economic opportunities,
build wealth in the minority community and create high quality
neighborhood schools. |
Ensure Diversity
| Children of all races benefit when they have the
opportunity to learn from each other. We must promote diversity by
supporting integration plans and designing school districts encompassing
racially and economically diverse neighborhoods. |
Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
Presbyterian Church (USA)
202-543-1126
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, Suite 104
Washington, DC 20002
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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