We never insisted that they expect more of themselves and do what it took to succeed. When we should have demanded more, we simply accepted less. By taking such a course, we gave schools and teachers an impossible task. Parents and community leaders, black and white, may argue about it, but they are as much to blame as anyone. They resent blacks in schools.
Racism lives, in all colors.
State leaders, too, have to accept part of the blame. All of us do. We have lowered the bar instead of raising it. And nobody ever succeeded by climbing under anything. Making it easy for any student, or looking for excuses, regardless of color, doesn't prepare him or her to succeed.