The March
for Education Equity
Columbia, South Carolina
May
15, 2004
Rhett Jackson
Co-Chair of the Coalition
for Education
Good morning, I am Rhett Jackson. Welcome to Columbia! What a wonderful crowd! What a great message to our Governor and General Assembly!
Special thanks to Roger Jenkins of Orangeburg
for that stirring rendition of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and Rev. Susan Heath of Trinity Cathedral for
her inspiring words.
Today we have marched to commemorate
the 50th anniversary of the momentous decision of the United States Supreme Court to end legal segregation in the
public schools of our nation and for full and equitable funding of this state’s public schools.
That decision, Brown vs. Board of Education,
arose from the courage and tenacity of the parents and the school children of Clarendon
County who filed a lawsuit in 1949 challenging the poor conditions in the segregated
schools of that era which were provided to African Americans.
It all began over a school bus. Buses were only provided to children attending all white schools of Clarendon
County. None were allotted to children
attending all black schools.
Today our march was lead by a school
bus from Clarendon County, carrying 40 students and parents representing all the children of that school district, and following
right behind the bus, still walking for justice and equity, are some of those children from 50 years ago who walked 9 miles
each way to school every day.
Let’s give a warm welcome to all
of these folks from Clarendon County
who are true American heroes of yesterday and today.
We march today for increased and equitable
funding for all the public schools of South Carolina so that every child receives
an adequate education.
Students in our public schools today
should be prepared to be productive citizens for the rest of their lives.
They need to start school ready to learn. They need every opportunity to succeed in school, to get on the right track, to finish
high school and go on to jobs, technical education, or college.
They need quality early childhood programs. They need competent and caring teachers in every classroom. They need principals who can lead and motivate. They need
parent and community involvement every day of the school year.
They need more intensive reading instruction,
good after-school and summer programs to catch up and keep up.
Every student in South
Carolina schools should come out of our educational system ready to be a productive, voting, and tax
paying citizen.
Can the legislature afford to do this? You bet it can.
In the 1960’s, when the state was
much poorer, almost 53% of the state’s budget was spent on elementary and high schools in South
Carolina. Today, that figure has diminished to 37% of
the state budget.
The Board of Economic Advisors announced
just yesterday that $253 million in additional revenues has been forecast for next year.
Well, let me say this loud and clear: Every penny of that new $253 million should be added to next year’s state spending
for the public schools of South Carolina!
I refuse to believe that we don’t
have enough good men and women in our legislature, after years of neglect, to finally find ways to provide full and equal
funding for all our school districts.
The unfairness of the past is not the
fault of most of those legislators who serve today. But make no mistake about
it, the time to begin to correct the injustice and the inequities of the past is in this year’s budget.
And hear me carefully. This state cannot support two school systems. Vouchers or
tax credits for private schools will erode funding for the public schools. If
families choose to send their children to private schools, they should pay for it themselves.
Friends, we still elect too many people
who simply do not believe in public education.
We have a secret, non-violent weapon: The ballot box – our vote!
All of us must ask our Senators and House
members where they stand on equity funding. If they are not with us, then we
must not vote for them. Don’t let them get away with “Well, we are
studying the issue” or “We don’t have the money now.”
They have been studying the issue for
a hundred years.
I normally do not cast my vote on a single
issue, but friends, this is an important enough election to judge on a single issue.
The future of our state depends on it! Make sure you are registered and
make sure you vote!
This march is only our beginning. This Coalition will stick together, joined at the hip, until our schools are properly
funded … in the upcoming primaries and general election … after the court ruling in the Abbeville case later this
year … and in the legislature next year and the years after. In the words
of the old civil rights song: “We ain’t gonna let nobody turn us
around!”
Thank you.
Mr. Jackson is a Columbia businessman. This article
is used with his permission.
