Ending School Segregation: The Case of Farmville, Virginia
No aspect of segregation was more harmful than the separation ofblack and white children in public schools, especially in theSouth. This story is about how black students in 1951 staged astrike in Farmville, Virginia, to protest school segregation. Howthat strike played a major role in ending school segregation is notwidely known. Like many towns in the South, Farmville maintainedseparate school systems for black and white children. For the blackstudents, it was immediately clear that their school facilitieswere inferior to those of whites. The story of Farmville is a storyof victory, but one long delayed, even long after the SupremeCourt’s ruling.
Until the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the relevantlegal standard was “separate but equal.” What does Farmville tellyou about the enforcement of even that standard? What would havehappened if that standard had been strictly enforced?
Farmville is a classic example of de jure discrimination, butmost discrimination is de facto. How do we address de factodiscrimination?
At the time of the Brown decision, racial discrimination wasovert in almost all areas of life. Why do you think that the NAACPselected discrimination in education as its prime target?
Title IX and Girl’s Sports
At America’s birth, the Constitution’s framers granted womenalmost no civil rights. In fact, it took until 1920 for women towin the right to vote, and until the 1970s to gain overall legalequality. The modern women’s movement adopted several lessons fromthe Civil Rights Movement. For example, to show they were beingdiscriminated against women had to prove they were treatedunfavorably simply because they were women. The story of one fightover equality in youth sports illustrates this ongoingstruggle.
Is the scheduling of athletic seasons by the state an example ofdiscrimination?
Does it matter that the different season (different from the boys’)was combined with unequal facilities?
Should it matter that most people think that different seasons forthe same or comparable sports is acceptable? Does it matter if mostgirls find it acceptable?
Fighting for the Rights of Disabled Americans
Fighting discrimination often takes years of mass organization,protest, political lobbying, and legal challenges to win new lawsand the power to enforce them. The 1973 Rehabilitation Act wasconsidered an early victory for supporters of rights for thedisabled. It included a provision stipulating that federally fundedprograms and facilities must be accessible to disabled individuals.The broader Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 expanded theprotections first articulated in 1973. But the fight for equalityoften continues beyond the passage of laws recognizing the rightsof those who are experiencing discrimination. No one knows thisbetter than those who seek the end of discrimination against peoplewith disabilities.
What steps are necessary to eliminate discrimination againstthose with disabilities?
What disabilities should be covered by ADA?
Is discrimination against those with disabilities comparable todiscrimination against racial minorities and women?
