AND WE ARE NOT SAVED

The Elusive Quest for Racial Justice
Written By Derrick Bell

Excerpt Chapter 4

Neither Separate Schools Nor Mixed Schools

Prepared
By Felicia McCaw
BY FELICIA MCCAW – A DRAFT OF WHAT I FEEL COULD HAVE DIFUSED THE CONFLICT AND SAVED A LOT OF PEOPLE.




April 20, 2011

Board of Education
1111 Somewhere Drive
Columbus, SC 55512

Dear Parents of White and Black Children:
As a measure to desegregate school and provide an equal opportunity for all to receive an equitable education measures have been set in motion to merge schools to consist of both white and black students. We (Board of Education) realize that the implementation of this plan is met with tremendous resentment and each race feels the threat to their children and are disturbed and feel that it will affect adversely the academic standards, generate discipline problems and possibly place all children in physical danger. Further we realize that both races equally share the need to be separate and wish to maintain distance and probably feel that your cultural rights are being violated, compromised and forced to mingle. Also, we understand and support all initiatives to limit the influence of different racial and cultural groups within any community but as ordered by the United States Supreme Court it has been ordered that these schools will be desegregated according to laws passed. Because of our understanding of your fears enforcing school desegregation was delayed for several years but we have come to a point when further delay is not being allowed.
Further we understand your theory that the educational levels and quality at school would suffer because of integrating with black students attending and that other possible detrimental factors will occur, but as stated before this is not a choice but a mandate that must be put in effect and followed posthaste. As mandated 2/3 of the students who attend W.E.B. DuBois School which is an excellent educational facility for black students will be bused to a white school and 2/3 of the students who are white will be bused to W.E.B. DuBois School in exchange. Also, we understand the parents’ view of black children who attend W.E.B. DuBois School who oppose the desegregating of this school because it was built to nurture and install the best education they could be given and your feelings that the admission of white students will upset and undermine the fragile balance between the races and black children need to be able to survive societal hostility.
The advantages to desegregating would result in covering the deficit, higher teacher’s salaries, additional teacher’s aides, new school buses (100 new buses) and would generate jobs: Hiring of new bus drivers (new hires), mechanics and service personnel, construction contracts (resulting in construction jobs for idle workers and architectural firms and landscape designers).
Board of Education
1111 Somewhere Drive
Columbus, SC 55512
Page 2
Federal funds (grants) of several million dollars have been applied for and won for federal desegregation and also State funds to ensure the elevation level of education provided which would cover the hiring of new teachers and lower the teacher-pupil ratio and add additional guidance counselors to help with any merging issues and advisory personnel. Furthermore, the annexations of several unincorporated areas will allow additional white students into the public school system and slow the percentage rate of black students and defray the cost of financially burdening the educational system.
Consequently, as stated above desegregating is advantageous to all and we (Board of Education) hope that you will participate willingly and do your share to make this work.
Sincerely,


Sam Paules
Chairman
Board of Education