[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION

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                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 17, 2004

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate the 50th 
Anniversary of Brown versus the Board of Education. Fifty years ago, 
the Supreme Court ruled the doctrine of ``separate but equal'' 
unconstitutional, and the doors of education were opened to every 
child.
  Sadly, although schools were open to every child, a tremendous 
learning gap opened up. Some students received a great education, while 
others--largely poor and minority--slipped through the cracks of the 
system. The achievement gap between African-American and Caucasian 
fourth-graders is 28 percentage points, and 29 points between Hispanic 
and Caucasian students.
  This is not equal access to education.
  The No Child Left Behind Act continues Brown's legacy. Under NCLB, 
every child, regardless of race or national origin, is given the same 
opportunity to learn. Schools are required to ensure that every child 
is learning. No longer can students shuffle through the system without 
learning. We are already seeing positive results. According to a 2004 
study by the Council of Great City Schools, the achievement gap is 
narrowing between minority and Caucasian students in both reading and 
math. These results are due, in large part, to NCLB.
  The No Child Left Behind Act is the second step of Brown. The ruling 
in Brown may have given students equal access to the classroom, but 
NCLB ensures that they are given equal access to an education in that 
classroom.

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