LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It was 62 years ago today that the Little Rock Nine entered Central High School.
They were seeking a fair and equitable education.
The question here in 2019 is now being asked: "Are we any better at providing that now as opposed to then?"
Since this grainy footage was shot in '57, we have seen a migration of families and resources to private schools, charter schools, and surrounding communities.
Computer-generated letter grades are now assigned to schools, and eight of them in Little Rock have an F.
It doesn't sound good, does it?
At this point, it would be so easy for me to tell you what I think ought to be done, but I'm not gonna do it.
Instead, as LRSD's biggest fan, I now interrupt the commotion just to say "thank you."
To LRSD teachers first, who I have grown to admire in every classroom I visit. To Principals, to support staff, to volunteers, parents involved, to readers, tutors, and after-school facilitators. Thank you.
With regular visits to schools, I have developed a sense of progress and creativity and energy that produces a "yes, we have improved since the Little Rock Nine."
But people, we can't stop. Keep moving forward. And in my mind, the best way to do that is to open a book and read to a child.