In 1978, Florida was sued by 11 Black students on the grounds that its functional literacy requirement violated due process. This article summarizes the arguments in the case. The initial decision to retain the test after a four-year delay was appealed, but was subsequently upheld by the State's Appeals Court. (CJM)

Introduces 21 papers on racial inequality, examining 2 documents that significantly influenced American aspirations early in the century--"An American Dilemma" (Gunnar Myrdal) and "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas." The article discusses the impact of racial inequality on public education and the role of public…

Argues that the single most enduring effect of "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas," has been to reverse the public policy of racial segregation approved by the Supreme Court in "Plessy v. Ferguson." The article reviews instances of resistance and violence, government use of troops, and present situations of school…

The verdict in the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) case undermined the concept of educational equity by equating it with sameness. Testimony was excluded that revealed bureaucratic processes creating new inequities: overemphasis on test preparation and manipulation of students' grade level designations to artificially improve…

Each year, African American high school students in grades 11 and 12 take the College Board/Educational Testing Service Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations. Large numbers of these students are not successful. Nationally, African Americans take a total of 13,844 examinations and 5,447 qualify for advanced placement. This means that 61 percent of…

Numerous scholars, historians, and social scientists believe that the most significant decision made by the United States Supreme Court was handed down in the case of "Brown v. the Topeka Kansas Board of Education" (1954). In this case the court declared the legal principle of separate but equal as unconstitutional in public education. This paper…

The federal government has been important in developing and enforcing school desegregation law, including "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas". The ambiguity of the "Brown" decision has allowed considerable flexibility in defining and remedying discrimination. The U.S. Department of Justice must protect the gains…

Argues that a hegemonic ideology of superiority in the schools perpetuates the oppression of African Americans. African Americans can overcome this ideology by using their consciousness of social injustice to correct these lies and to construct new institutions that reflect self-definitions of African Americans. (SLD)

Perspectives on the Bakke Supreme Court decision are considered. It is claimed that some of the distortions in the public perception of the Bakke case are the responsibility of the media coverage. Although the Court said that race may be a factor in the admissions process, many people, with the effect of headlines of "Bakke Wins," think…

THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE PATTERNS OF PREJUDICE AND DE FACTO SEGREGATION MAINTAINED BY THE SCHOOLS. IT IS FELT THAT THERE MUST BE CHANGES IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS TO ACHIEVE FULL SCHOOL INTEGRATION. AREAS NEEDING CHANGE INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS, CURRICULUM BIAS, AND THE LOW LEVEL OF TEACHERS' EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS…

The present condition of the United States regarding the education of black college-age youth and the status of historically black colleges is discussed in this paper. Background information on the role of black colleges and an elaboration of present-day problems facing black colleges are presented. The declining enrollment, drop-out rate, counter…

Recent surveys of elementary and secondary schools regarding student enrollment and placement in special education suggest overrepresentation of blacks in classes for educable or trainable mentally retarded and seriously emotionally disturbed students. Underrepresentation of Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians was observed in gifted and…

Evaluates the factors that affect student performance on the mathematics portion of the Florida standardized test designed to measure student competency at postsecondary institutions. Finds that remedial courses have a negative effect on test scores, and recommends articulation programs, admissions requirement evaluation, and curriculum assessment…

The 60-year effort to desegregate Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) public schools has not succeeded. Despite a 1977 State court order to desegregate and the implementation of the Modified School Desegregation Plan, Black and minority group students still encounter discrimination, unfairness, and abuse in Philadelphia schools, and the Plan's promises…

The "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas" decision was a crucial 20th century civil rights event. However, civil rights leaders underestimated the depth of racism and the enormity of the task of getting all black agricultural workers into the mainstream economy. That task, left over from slavery, still faces the American…