[00:00:10]
I'M A RETIRED EDUCATOR WITH JEFFERSON PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE ON THE DESEGREGATION TASK FORCE, UM, FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THEN WAS, UH, ASSIGNED AND OR ELECTED TO BE CHAIR OF THE DESEGREGATION TASK FORCE AND HAVE REMAINED IN THAT POSITION SINCE.
IN 1964, REVEREND DANDRIDGE FILED SUIT ON BEHALF OF HIS DAUGHTER, LENA VERN DANDRIDGE, ET ALL TO INTEGRATE THE JEFFERSON PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THAT SUIT, UM, REACHED A CONSENT DECREE IN 1971.
IT REMAINED DORMANT UNTIL 2006.
THERE'S AN OLD SAYING IN MY COMMUNITY THAT SOMETIMES THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY REMAIN THE SAME.
AND SO WHILE A NUMBER OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOW DESEGREGATED, THE ADVANCED STUDIES ACADEMIES REALLY HAVEN'T MOVED THAT MUCH.
NOW, I THINK OUR DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT-WIDE, THAT WE ARE DOING REALLY GOOD THINGS.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, INCREASED OUR STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE GOING ON TO, UH, COLLEGE.
IT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS THAT'S USED FOR ANYTHING DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES TO BE MORE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW IT IMPACTS YOU.
THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE HAVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR OLDER AGES IS DETERMINED TO A GREAT DEAL BY THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE EDUCATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO DEMAND MORE BOTH OF OUR SYSTEM, BUT ALSO PARENTS DEMANDING MORE OF OUR CHILDREN.
CHILDREN LIVE UP TO OR DOWN TO OTHERS' EXPECTATIONS OF THEM.
AND I LEARNED AS A PRINCIPAL THAT CHILDREN CAN GIVE A LOT MORE AND CAN DO MORE THAN IS REQUIRED OF THEM.
THEY, THEY DON'T DO, THEY'RE KIDS.
THEY SOMETIMES WILL DO WHATEVER YOU ASK THEM, BUT IF YOU ASK MORE, THEY GET MORE.