Statement of Governors on Brown vs. Board of Education Scholarship Program and Fund

RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner and three former Virginia governors today released a joint statement in support of the passage and funding of House Bill 846 and Senate Bill 230, creating a Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Program and Fund, to be established for the purpose of providing specific educational opportunities for families denied a public education during Massive Resistance.

The following is the joint statement of Governor Warner and former Governors Linwood Holton, Charles S. Robb, and Gerald L. Baliles.

"We voice our strong support for the creation of a scholarship fund for Virginians denied a public education during the period of Massive Resistance.

"We particularly focus on the students of Prince Edward County who, led by 16-year-old Barbara Johns, helped win the end of segregation in America's public schools through their crucial involvement in the 1954 Brown v. Board decision, then lost their own educational opportunity when public schools were closed for five years during the Massive Resistance response to Brown, before finally winning, in the Supreme Court's 1964 Griffin v. Prince Edward decision, the constitutional right of every American child to a public education.

"We believe it is singularly appropriate to give educational opportunity and the promise of prosperity and enrichment it offers to those families and individuals who were denied it by an egregious public policy.

"On the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board and the 40th anniversary of Griffin v. Prince Edwards, we signal bi-partisan support of this effort and of the expression of regret contained in the legislation.

"We further believe that the scholarship program should be funded during the biennium with a sum sufficient, not to exceed $2 million, in order to establish, administer and begin the implementation of the scholarship program."