Securing Better Education for America

Dear W. And M.,

I received the following email from Janette McCarthy-Wallace, NAACP, Interim General Counsel. You might think: boring. Not so much. She with the support of the NAACP are fighting to make sure that your generation receives the best education America can provide. She wrote:

"The coronavirus pandemic focused the nation’s attention on the essential role public schools play in the lives of families and communities. It’s also exposed the severe racial inequalities that continue to plague our education system and disadvantage students of color.

"But rather than addressing these problems, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, fully supported and endorsed by the Trump Administration, took action to exploit the pandemic and promote her personal agenda of funneling taxpayer dollars to private schools and taking resources away from the schools and the students who need it most.

"We weren’t just going to standby and watch it happen. That’s why we sued on behalf of students of color across the nation – and we WON!

"This decision sends a clear signal that Secretary DeVos cannot use illegal means to advance her harmful agenda to the detriment of our highest need students.

"Joseph, we didn’t stop with Betsy DeVos. We also sued Governor DeSantis in Florida for trying to force schools to reopen in August – endangering teachers and students alike. The court found that DeSantis arbitrarily prioritized reopening schools statewide over the safety and the advice of health experts.

"This decision showed that the DeSantis Order was unconstitutional to the extent that it arbitrarily disregards safety, denies local school boards decision making with respect to reopening brick and mortar schools, and conditions funding on an approved reopening plan."

Americans deserve equity, financially and politically. It starts with education. That does not mean that the nation lower its standards. Rather, we as a nation must demand that our education system is best that America can achieve for all students regardless of race, creed, or gender.

To some Americans, this may sound like a socialistic call. It's capitalism at its best. In the past 50 years, the nation has changed economically. Brain power has become society's greatest asset--even in occupations usually associated with brawn. The more students who graduate high school and college and who excel in language and mathematical literacy, the more powerful the nation will be economically. Such a nation will lift the financial well-being of all Americans. I repeat its capitalism. The greater the investment, the greater the yield.

The NAACP has been behind this push for some 70 years. The organization deserves our support, regardless of race, creed, or gender.