Seventy years subsequent to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which nullified racial segregation in American public schools, new revelations indicate that California’s educational landscape remains fraught with disparities, notably for Black students. In a recent event previewing findings held in Sacramento, concerns were raised regarding the persistent inequities plaguing the state’s educational system.

Amir Whitaker, policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union Southern California and author of the State of Black Education 2024 California Report Card, lamented the unfulfilled promise of Brown v. Board. “Whether you’re a parent, a student or an educator, the promise of Brown v. Board has not been reached,” Whitaker remarked.

During a gathering within an N Street legislative hearing room against the backdrop of the State Capitol, a consortium of Black educators, lawmakers, parents, and students convened to delineate these challenges and advocate for remedial measures. While a comprehensive report is slated for release in the fall, the preliminary findings underscored the persisting chasm and the pressing need for substantive action.

“We want a 21st-century, multiracial learning community, not a social control system,” asserted Carl Pinkston, the operation director of Sacramento education equity advocates, Black Parallel School Board. “We need Black teachers. We need a whole new way of looking at the educational system.”

Karesha Boyd, chair of Stockton Unified School District’s Black Parent Advisory Committee, underscored the urgency of reform, highlighting the stark realities faced by Black students in California’s educational milieu.

The statistics gleaned from state, federal, and local education data paint a disconcerting picture:

• Merely 17% of Black students met or surpassed the state’s assessment standards for math during the 2022-2023 academic year, in stark contrast to nearly half of white students.
• Approximately 78% of Black students graduated from high school in 2023, compared to 90% of white students. However, the percentage of Black students proceeding to college dwindled to 55%, vis-a-vis 68% of white students.
• Black representation among California’s teaching cadre remains dismally low, with fewer than 4% of teachers being Black, despite Black students constituting over 5% of the state’s K-12 enrollment.
• A concerning 37% of Black students in California were chronically absent during the 2022-2023 school year, compared to 20% of their white counterparts.

Urgent Calls for Reform: Addressing Representation and Equity

Kalani Griffith, a sophomore at River City High School in West Sacramento and a youth senator of the statewide organization Black Students of California United, emphasized the pivotal role of representation in fostering academic success among Black students. Griffith advocated for increasing the presence of Black teachers and expanding community schools to enhance access to essential resources.

Whitaker’s persistent advocacy over the past seven years has centered on addressing the systemic disparities confronting Black students and families in California and nationwide. This aligns with the endeavors of lawmakers in the California Legislative Black Caucus, who are championing historic reparations legislation for Black Californians.

Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Oakland, a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus and the Assembly’s Education Committee, emphasized the fundamental right to education and the imperative of ensuring equitable opportunities for all students, particularly within the Black community.

As California grapples with entrenched educational inequities, the clarion call for systemic reform grows louder, echoing the imperative of fostering an educational environment that is truly inclusive and equitable for all.