Talking points #7 Lawrence

Lawrence argues that the desegregation of schools set forth by Brown vs Board of Education was not as much of a success as it seems to be, and that blacks are still labeled as inferior to the rest of society. Segregation left African American with less educational opportunities than white students and has scarred them although the schools have been integrated. Segregation created a system of power that shows that blacks will always be seen as inferior to some white Americans, even in its absence in present time.

1. "It is the thesis of this paper that the Brown decision fostered a way of thinking about segregation that has allowed both the judiciary and society at large to deny the reality of race in America, that the recognition of that reality is critical to the framing of any meaningful remedy -- judicial or political-- and that Brown may ultimately be labeled a success only insofar as we are able to make it stand for what it should have stood foor in 1954."

This excerpt states Lawrences arguement that the Brown decision may be a failure in the long run. ALthough it gives "equal" opportunities to both black and white students, the decision may not be as successful as it was meant to be. Although this decision sparked many of the actions of the Civil Rights Movement that followed, those events can not be what is used to measure the successfulness of court's decision to desegregate schools.

2. "Many black school that existed within the segregated school systems of the South were in fact superior to their white counterparts. It is ironic that most of these schools achieved thier excellence as a direct result of the discrimination inherent in a segregated society, in that the best black professionals were forced into teaching by their virtual exclusion from other feilds."

I am not sure that this excerpt helps/hinders my arguement, espcially becuase it seems to be pro-segretation in some aspects which I am not. but this excerpt shows that some blacks students were given better education opportunities than their white counterparts, and these opportunities were taken away by the Brown decision. Althouh it was not very common that the seperate but equal facilities favored African Americans, this quote proves that in some cases they were in fact better than equal to those of white students.

3. " Followeing the rule that the remedy must match the injury, judges have ordered that schools be desegregated if there is evidence of school segregation, that Blacks be given access to housing if there has been proof of discriminatory real estate practice, that Blacks be given jobs if there is sufficient evicence of discriminatory real estate practices, and that states that have engaged in practices denying Blacks the vote cease and desis from engaging in those practices."

The Brown decision addressed merely only seperation in school systems, but sparked the equal rights in those other areas too. Students who were denied housing in certain areas were indirectly denied better schooling. It is the remedy that segregation be destroyed in every aspect of life, not just schooling, to help address the overall problem.

This was a very hard read for me.....so i am not sure if this arguement is even in the ballpark but i think i made somewhat of a arguement.