Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-05
Gray Plan Debate

elders felt that the public
schools do not contribute to
the pride Of race and pride
in Jewish learning which was
desired. Similarly, the Chinese
Americans Of San Francisco
and Chicago, sponsor special
racially-separated schools and
are thankful for the privilege.
A fourth inconsistency Is
that exhibited by many of the
Northern Virginia PTAs who
have criticized the proposal
that private schools be en-
couraged to absorb the white
students as an alternative to
integration. In the past, the
PTAs have generally been
critical Of the public education
offered. 1t has appeared to
teachers that the PTAs would
be only too glad to take over
and run the schools them
selves. The presidents of the
PTAs have too often been
parents Of children who were
passed on through the schools
by means Of "a working OF
the faculty" rather than by
"a faculty Of working" The
Virginia plan would permit
these unhappy parents not
only a broad choice in the
selection Of schools and play
mates. but would give them q
maximum opportunity to in
fiuence the conduct of the
school. due to its smaller en-
rollment and its dependence
on the favor Of its paying
clientele.
The voters of Northern Vir-
ginia must realize. as did
Robert E. Lee in 1851, that
they are citizens of a State
whose people are being harried
by the same type of reform
ers as those who brought on
the Civil War. Let us act in
concert and show that we
resent this unwarranted re-
sumption of hostilities by sup
porting Gov. Stanley and the
Virginia Assembly.
Richard l.. Feldman.
+
Proponents Of the Gray Bill
are increasingly Gliding the
Supreme Court for its rever-
sails, over the years, on the
segregation question. They
intimate no responsibility on
the part of the South for the
recent reversal.
The sad fact they never
mention is that the courts
earlier idea of separate but
equal facilities for white and
colored students was, OF course,
deliberately violated. We might
say the Supreme Court gave
us our chance for eonstitu-
tional and ethical segregation,
a chance to work out a fair
system without coercion. For
TWO or three generations.
many Southern communities
have made a joke of this for
mer decision--have used this
chance TO defeat the spirit of
the Constitution rather than
sustain 1t. When the question
again came before 1t. the high
court could conscientiously no
longer indulge in the hope
that we would ever abide BY
the spirit Of its earlier ruling.
The official actions Of the
Southern States and counties
caused the reversal-not some
weakness Of the Supreme
Court.
Now the Southern mind is
busy again devising circum-
locutions rather than ways of
adherence to the law of the
land and its highest legal
authority.
l am white and q Virginian
and understand how serious
a problem this is for the white
parents. But think we are
kidding ourselves when we I'M
derestimate the Judgment and
power of the Supreme Court,
a group Of our best minds
picked with special care by
the President and approved
after thorough review by Con-
gress. 1t Is their commission
to uphold the spirit Of the
Constitution and the dignity
of our Federal Government,
particularly that Of their own
body. They cannot be expected
to look with favor on obvious
efforts to side-step their rll-
ings. In time, the result Of
such side-stepping can very
possibly mean still more strin-
gent announcements.
In answer to the oft-stated
question: do you know q bet
ter way than the Gray Bill2-
b No, / do not, but ! am not
a legislator. ] can say that ]
know a better way Of think
ing than the negative APP
proach and a better way Of
citizenship than the en-
couragement Of legislators
who take that approach. !
will vote against the Gray Bill.