60 Years After Brown V. Board of Education

Floor Speech

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Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues to honor the 60th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education, a decision which was a major step toward education equality in the United States, and launched a Civil Rights movement that was a turning point for our country. I am reminded of heroes like Justice Thurgood Marshall, James Meredith, the Little Rock Nine, the lawyers who fought in the courtroom, and the many civil rights activists who risked their lives to fight for equality. But while the decision changed the law of the land, it didn't immediately change the reality of education inequality in America.

Chief Justice Earl Warren gave the opinion of the Court, stating ``In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.'' Thus, we see the Court firmly establishing the critical role education has on a child's success.

Even during the time directly following the court decision, all states and localities did not follow the precedent set by the ruling. This played out in national news across the country and was clearly seen at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas when a group of black students, known as the Little Rock Nine, was blocked by the National Guard from entering the school, under orders from then Governor Orval Faubus. Additionally, in the second Brown case, commonly referred to as Brown II, Chief Justice Earl Warren urged school districts to implement the principles promptly and with ``all deliberate speed.''

Over the years, various federal and state laws and initiatives have been introduced in an effort to improve education, yet today, there is still more work that can be done to ensure that every child has equal access to a world-class education. Sixty years later, we are still fighting for access to affordable early childhood education and higher education, and also for the reduction of dropout rates. Additionally, the school-to-prison pipeline is not merely a theory, but is a reality for many of our students across the country and is hindering them from access to educational opportunities. We must take a multi-faceted approach to remedying education as we prepare our students to enter the workforce in our global economy.

Even those who are educated and are entering the workforce have a tough road ahead of them. The gender pay gap is a harsh reality of the day in which we live. This is not reflective of equity, thus we must do all we can to ensure our students have the tools needed to enter the workforce as qualified individuals and be able to fully seize opportunities.

On this important anniversary, let us remember the words of Justice Thurgood Marshall, who argued this case as a NAACP chief counsel, ``None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody ..... bent down and helped us pick up our boots.'' Today, let us never forget the message of Brown as we work to ensure equal access to education, a strong workforce, and an open door to opportunity for all.

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