Friday, November 14, 2014

Equality in education post - an exercise in persistence

In 1954 segregation became illegal in the US, although in the South, a region notorious for white supremacist racist terror and the political oppression of African Americans, the government(s) made no effort to implement the changes. The NAACP pushed for reform by nominating children to enter into segregated 'white' schools. This change arrived in 1960 after little Ruby Bridges (6) began attending an all-white school, Franz Elementary, in New Orleans. 

I did wish to host this podcast about Ruby Bridges back in July, but my system was hacked and damaged. {Excuse me for mentioning that again, but I think that it is important for the parties at fault to realize the ramifications of their actions, which affect more people than just me and them, and that it won't be forgotten, and that it may slow me down momentarily, but it certainly won't come close to stopping my writing.}

In the photo that accompanies the podcast, a young Ruby Bridges is seen being shepherded to school by US Federal Marshals.

This is only a tiny abridged version of the post that I was planning, but it's timely, with the Nobel Prize having just been awarded to another brave young girl, Malala Yousefzai.

Malala was shot on her way to school. She lived in a region of the world that is seriously threatened by radical fundamentalism. Things are still not so good for Pakistani girls who want to use & expand their God-given minds and talents & Malala now has to live in England, for her own safety.

When I look at the brave, stoic look on Malala's face, and that image of the timid and tiny Ruby Bridges on her way to school, I am reminded of two tough, clever young women I know. They, and their many courageous, strong female friends contend every day to break through the barriers of gender discrimination. Sadly, they still struggle to get treated equally in tertiary education (and in their workplaces) here, in Australia, where conditions are meant to be fair, but still aren't and have a very long, long way to go.

To all the women and girls who read this post today who battle for their right to speak and be heard, and to enjoy the same opportunities that are available to men, perhaps the story of Ruby Bridges may offer some hope of social justice and societal reform. The hurdles that we overcome today are for the benefit not merely of ourselves & our own quality of life, but for our children and our children's children. That's a pretty motivating factor.