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NUL ISSUES EDUCATION STATEMENT ON 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN

Thirty years after the historic decision of the Supreme Court in the Brown vs. Topeka case that brought an end to segregation in public education, the National Urban League has concluded that there is still such a critical need to improve education for blacks, poor, and minority students that their very survival is threatened.

Taking cognizance of the numerous recent reports on the status of public education in America, the NUL notes that in the main, the recommendations embodied in the reports left the basic organizational structure of the educational system intact, focusing instead on such issues as lengthening the school day, devoting more time to the actual teaching process, and the institution of additional courses in the basic skills area.

The NUL contends that the recommendations thus place the major responsibility for educational reform on teachers, students, and parents. Conversely, the NUl takes the following position:

"We call upon the educational establishment, administrators, legislators, and policymakers to implement reform efforts which do not call upon the consumers of education or constituents to bear the major responsibilities for educational reform.

This position and others are contained in a paper, "National Urban League Statement — May 17, 1984, Thirty Years After Brown," prepared by the NUL's Education Cluster with the assistance and advice of an advisory committee composed of leading educators.

In its opening statement the paper declared: "Public education is failing to fulfill its mission for many students in general and black and poor students in particular." It then states the NUL's position on a number of educational issues.

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EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE
Equity in the 1980's is redefined and holds that in addition to access, the educational system must provide opportunities for black and poor students to demonstrate results which are commensurate with those of non-black students. Equity of educational programs can be measured by outcomes, such as reduction of drop-out and push-out rates, improved attendance, improved retention rates of minorities in the four-year higher education programs, proportionate representation in programs for the gifted, reduction in the disproportionate representation of minority males in disciplinary actions, such as suspensions and expulsions, and, finally, standardized test scores which more nearly approximate those of similar non-black populations.

THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The National Urban League will continue to advocate for a strong federal role in education. The federal government has a moral responsibility to support and implement programs and protect the civil and constitutional rights of black, poor, and minority students. It must provide regulatory/oversight mechanisms to ensure that this aspect of its responsibility is discharged.
The federal government should provide leadership in funding research and teacher training and should continue to make available sufficient funds targeted to student populations evidencing specific educational needs.

SCHOOL FINANCE
Resources should be deployed where they are needed to achieve the equity of educational results for black, poor, and minority students.
The National Urban League opposes proposals, such as tuition tax credits and vouchers, which divert tax dollars from public education.

GROUPING/TRACKING
The League supports classroom management strategies which group students for instruction. However, the League supports no educational grouping of students for instruction which limits teachers' expectations of their students or students' expectations of themselves.
We advocate that teachers demand and expect the maximum performance from every black, poor, and minority student,and that they provide a learning atmosphere free of the debilitating negativism of racial bias.
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