FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Landmark Supreme Court Decision Foundational to the Purpose and Intent of Magnet Schools
Washington, D.C. (May 17, 2024) —Today marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, a decision that recognized the harms—to all students—of attending segregated schools and forced our nation to begin taking action to ensure equal opportunity in public education.
A seminal moment in the modern civil rights movement, Brown changed American public education forever. Ultimately, as states and school districts began to take seriously their obligation to desegregate schools, many used magnet programs as the most effective tool to bring together students of different racial backgrounds and begin to chip away at the longstanding segregation that was a hallmark of our nation’s schools and communities.
“Brown’s historical significance cannot be overstated, but neither can its current relevance,” said Ramin Taheri, CEO of Magnet Schools of America. “Because while we commemorate the decision for its foundational importance and lasting impact, we also acknowledge that, in many places, America’s public schools remain as segregated today as they were decades ago.” Taheri added: “At Magnet Schools of America, we know that integrated schools are essential to prepare today’s students to live and thrive in a multiracial society.”
Today, seven decades after Brown, at a time when America’s students are more racially diverse than ever before, the struggle to integrate schools goes on as the pernicious effects of segregation persist. Magnet schools remain as essential as ever in this fight.
“Brown was a watershed moment for civil rights in education,” said Kimberly Lane, Ed.D., President of Magnet Schools of America, and Senior Director of Magnet Programs at Wake County Public School System (NC). “Magnet schools are built on the foundation created by Brown, a foundation that recognizes the fundamental right—for all students, especially those most often marginalized—to equal opportunity in public education.”
Magnet schools are founded on five pillars: diversity, innovative curriculum and professional development, academic excellence, leadership, and family and community partnerships. In July, Magnet Schools of America will formally commemorate the 70th anniversary of Brown by hosting a symposium, “Brown at 70 and the Role of Magnet Schools in Promoting Integration.”
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Magnet Schools of America (MSA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education association that represents more than 4,340 magnet and theme-based schools serving nearly 3.5 million students across 46 states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1986, MSA’s mission is to provide “vision, leadership and support for innovative programs that promote choice, equity, diversity, access, and excellence for all students.”
Raise the level of performance consistent throughout school districts nationwide and creates a platform from which all magnet schools can flourish. Magnet Schools of America’s national certification process is designed to recognize the hard work of the best magnet schools in the nation and to help them as they grow.
