Editorial: Watershed moment

Friday, May 14, 2004 | 5:41 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

May 15 - 16, 2004

Monday is the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision. In one fell swoop the court discarded the "separate but equal" doctrine that had long held sway in the United States, a doctrine that was a stain on this nation. The court's unanimous ruling, which required public schools to integrate, had a transforming impact on U.S. society, paving the way for the civil rights movement and resulting in dramatic changes in American attitudes about race.

The court's decision was a watershed moment, but it wasn't until years later -- many, many years later in parts of the country -- that schools actually were desegregated. But the court's ruling was, and has been, undermined by white families moving into predominately white suburban areas. The net effect has been to create poor urban areas, heavily populated by minorities, where the schools are not adequately funded. This means many minorities even today aren't receiving the same kind of quality education found in more affluent, suburban areas.

It's important on this anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education to reflect upon how far we have come as a nation. It's just as important to understand how far we still have to go, in both improving race relations and bringing about true equality for schoolchildren.