[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 69 (Monday, May 17, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN V. TOPEKA BOARD OF EDUCATION

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                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 17, 2004

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, it was 228 years ago that the Second 
Continental Congress affirmed that all men are created equal, as they 
declared their independence from England. Despite the grand idea of 
creating a better government that cherished equality and unalienable 
rights, the United States of America endorsed overt racial 
discrimination and exploitation for over 178 years.
  It was only 50 years ago, in the Supreme Court ruling on Brown vs. 
Topeka Board of Education that our government took a big step towards 
correcting these wrongs and recognizing the full spirit of equality. 
This ruling reversed the Plessy vs. Ferguson case and established that, 
``separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.'' The Supreme 
Court's acknowledgment in Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education was a 
pivotal point in the rising civil rights movement that led to the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing 
Act of 1968.
  Today, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Topeka Board of 
Education. We also honor all the people, young and old, who bravely 
challenged the status quo and risked their own personal safety to fight 
for equality. It was their courage that spurred our country to become a 
better place and we will continue to recognize their important role in 
our history.
  As we commemorate the achievement of the Brown decision, we must also 
recognize that this fight is not over. Across the country children of 
all races are being deprived of their fundamental right to an 
education. In California we see painful overcrowding in schools, 
creating conditions that are not conducive to learning. Without the 
critical skills provided by a good education, our children's futures 
are restricted. In the last several years we have seen a symbol of 
commitment to improving education in the enactment of the No Child Left 
Behind Law. This legislation sets high standards for the kind of 
achievement we would like to see from all of our children. However, 
this law fails to provide the resources and tools for states and 
localities to achieve these goals. Underperforming schools are punished 
instead of helped, and our children are once again denied their right 
to a good education.
  The significance of Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education is too 
important for us to let it slip away. We must continue to dedicate 
ourselves to achieving equal rights and equal opportunity for all 
Americans.

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