The educational system here in America is still one plagued by division. Schools in lower economic areas don’t always have the support compared to schools in wealthier neighborhoods. But can you imagine less than 70 years ago, schools were divided by the color of one’s skin. There was a law of being separate but equal. With this, all children got an education, but could not attend a school with people who didn’t look like them. Ultimately, Black, and White children could not attend school together. That is until one little girl named Ruby Bridges. She was the first African American girl to integrate an all-White school in the South.
In her adult life, Ruby Bridges once said, “Kids come into the world with clean hearts, fresh starts.” The mind of a child should not be plagued by the drama of adults. Every rule that is created is done by an adult. This means that every rule that would allow one school and not the other to be funded is done by an adult. And, this is a problem. A fair education should be accessible to all.
On this last Wednesday of Women’s History month, let’s thank Ruby Bridges. She forged a path in the right direction for us all. A path that allows us to attend any elementary school without judgement of our skin as in the 1950’s. Our country is still plagued by some racist principles but in the end a parent has more options to choose a school that would provide the best for their child’s education. To end, in the words of Ruby Bridges, “We may not all be equally guilty. But we are all equally responsible for building a decent and just society.”
Check out the 1998 Disney Channel movie depicting her story here.