STATEMENT: Carmel Martin on the 60th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education

Washington D.C. — Saturday, May 17,  marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision that forever changed the face of our country’s public education—Brown v. Board of Education. Carmel Martin, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress released the following statement marking the anniversary:

Sixty years ago, the Supreme Court put America on the path to provide an equal chance for all students regardless of race or background to receive a high-quality education. Since then, we have made significant strides, but inequities are still stark, particularly in low-income and minority communities, where schools are denied much-needed resources, and access to rigorous coursework is often the exception not the rule. As we pause to remember this landmark decision we must remind ourselves that the fight to ensure equal access to high-quality education for all is far from over. Providing equitable funding for all students and ensuring our  standards are aligned with what students need to be successful in college and career are critical to moving us in the right direction.

Related resources:

• 60 Years After Brown v. Board of Education, States Are Still Failing Students of Color (ThinkProgress)
• Attaining Equitable Distribution of Effective Teachers in Public Schools By Glenda Partee
• Conservative Politicians are Lashing Out at Courts that Order Equal Funding for Education By Billy Corriher
• The Stealth Inequities of School Funding: How State and Local School Finance Systems Perpetuate Inequitable Student Spending By Bruce D. Baker and Sean P. Corcoran

To speak with a CAP education expert, contact Katie Peters at [email protected] or 202.741.6285.

###