BALTIMORE – Attorneys arguing that Maryland’s history of racially-segregated higher education is ongoing used decades-old state reports to try to make their point as a federal trial began Tuesday.
The Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education alleges that practices carried over from the days of segregation at the state’s higher education commission put historically Black schools at a competitive disadvantage. The coalition said there is unnecessary duplication of specialized programs offered at historically Black schools, as well as funding disparities.
Maryland has appointed blue ribbon commission after blue ribbon commission to get its historically Black colleges and universities “out of the hole Maryland’s policies have put them in,” attorney Michael Jones said in his opening statements.
Jones presented a series of state reports dating to the 1930s, detailing inferior funding and in many cases call for improving funding. The reports also detail remedies including expanding offerings and creating programs that are not offered at other schools to help attract more students of all races.
“Maryland really has no defenses in this case,” Jones said.
Attorney Craig Thompson, representing the state of Maryland, told U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake that “it is students, not institutions that have rights under the Constitution.” He repeatedly said past practices and policies that led to a segregated education system are no longer in place.
The attorney said that, while the state tries to avoid duplication in higher education, prior court rulings allow duplication where there is sound educational justification.
