Jim Ryun: “today we speak of ``no child left behind'' in our education system, and providing our children with the highest quality…”

“today we speak of ``no child left behind'' in our education system, and providing our children with the highest quality education is a value that we all hold very dear. Unfortunately, for years African American children remained in substandard facilities without updated textbooks and insufficient supplies. These children were denied admission to all-white schools based on the ``separate but equal'' doctrine entrenched in public education. Fortunately, the landmark Supreme Court decision of Oliver L. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka would forever change this inequity. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a definitive interpretation of the 14th amendment that would unequivocally change the landscape of American public education. The High Court stated that the discriminatory nature of racial segregation violates the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the laws. This decision effectively ended the long-held ``separate but equal'' doctrine in U.S. education. Prior to the Brown v. Board of Education decision, numerous school integration cases were taken to courts between 1849 and 1949. In Kansas alone there were 11 cases filed between 1881 and 1949. In response to these unsuccessful attempts to ensure equal opportunities for all children, African American community leaders and organizations across the country stepped up their efforts to change the education system.…”