The NAACP spearheaded the fight to have public school segregation declared illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court more than 50 years ago. We strongly condemn this plan that resegregates Omaha public schools and retreats from the legacy of Brown v. Board of Ed.
Nebraska's only African-American legislator, State Senator Ernie Chambers backs the resegregation plan. Though we share his goal for all children to receive an excellent education, history and law tell us that segregation is a certain path to inequality.
The de facto segregation that exists in the Omaha schools is attributable to racially segregated housing patterns indicative of broad social inequalities. The proposed law in Omaha institutionalizes these inequalities by creating a de jure (by law) system of segregation in public schools.
The Harvard Civil Rights Project cites a 1999 study finding that nearly all of the black and Latino students admitted to two highly selective law schools came from integrated educational backgrounds.
English Language learners in highly segregated schools are deprived of the opportunity to improve their English skills through daily interaction with English speaking peers.
NAACP President & CEO Bruce S. Gordon said: "We strongly oppose the Nebraska law that divides the Omaha public schools along racial lines. The Supreme Court ruled 52 years ago that separate but equal schools result in inequality and poor education for minority children. We will use every advocacy tool, including legal, at our disposal to fight this unconstitutional law."
NAACP National Headquarters
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore MD 21215
