I know folks who will read this column as one long whining, lamenting complaint. It is not. It is both a celebration and an examination of where we are now. Any time gaps close, it is incumbent on those who fight for change to acknowledge that change happens. However, it is also important to analyze what change means.
In the realm of high school completion, the closing of the gap between Blacks and Whites means that most Americans now have a basic educational certification -- and perhaps, basic educational skills. This is an improvement for both African Americans and Whites over fifty-five years ago.
At the same time, the attainment of this basic certification means less now than it did three generations ago.
Thus, we must now turn our attention to the accessibility of postsecondary education, both at the college and postgraduate level, and in vocational and technical education. And, at the risk of "bean counting," we must look to close gaps in attainment at those educational levels as well. To do otherwise would be to fall short of the mighty goals some visionaries articulated when they began the struggle for civil rights in the educational arena.
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