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Week of October 2 - 8, 2002
By Cecile N. Cole

The predominately Black Acres Home community, like most other Black communities throughout the south, fought a fierce battle to get an education, but somehow persevered against overwhelming odds. Therefore it is not surprising that the Aldine Independent School District (AISD) is in the midst of a furious fight from politically-astute community leaders who are determine not to allow them to turn back the clock and take their children back to the same kind of difficulty they had to overcome.
Consequently, a line has been drawn in the sands of time: On one side is an Aldine Board of Trustees that believes that times have changed so much for the better until a kinder-gentler generation of Aldine officials no longer need a court order to force them to do the right thing. On the opposite side is a more enlightened, politically-astute group of Acres Home community leaders who adhere to the popular idiom, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”

Meanwhile, AISD and the U.S. Department of Justice seek the termination of the desegregation case, “Sampson and United States v. Aldine Independent School District, et al, CIVIL ACTION NO. 64-H- 273”. This case is currently pending before Judge David Hittner, a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. Since 1965, AISD has operated under a federal court order requiring the district to desegregate its schools to the extent practicable.
During that time, a federal court has exercised oversight of the school district’s operations in the areas of student assignment, employment of personnel, faculty and staff assignment, transportation, extracurricular activities, and facilities. The U.S. Department of Justice, the plaintiff in the district’s desegregation case, has been required to monitor the quality of education provided to all of AISD’s students. During this time, the district was required to submit bi annual reports to the court and the Department of Justice showing compliance with the desegregation order.
The Department of Justice and AISD have reviewed the compliance and progress toward satisfying the requirements of the court’s orders in this case. Both believe they have met all of the requirements of the desegregation orders. They also agree that AISD should receive unitary status. “Unitary is a term used by federal courts to recognize that a school district has satisfied its burden to eliminate the vestiges of discrimination to the extent practicable, and it means the end of court involvement in a school district’s programmatic and educational decisions. The AISD and the current Attorney General will argue that AISD has complied with the order to eliminate state sponsored segregation and its effects, and that AISD is a unitary district.

The whole history of the African-American in America, and the American justice system is unique to African-Americans. In 1857, three years before the war was fought to end slavery, the United States Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case said that African-Americans were not entitled to the same rights as Whites and other persons, or even to be viewed in the same light. In 1896, more than 30 years after the end of the war to end slavery, in Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court put cosmetics on the Dred Scott rule but the rule stayed the same. It was called “separate but equal,” and African-Americans were inferior to other folks. Finally in 1954, when Brown v. Board came along, African-Americans were not inferior, and that lie was to be admitted.
AISD had previous meetings in the district to discuss with the community about the district moving from desegregation and into the “unitary status.” On September 12, the Superintendent of Schools, Nadine Kujawa held a meeting at Harris Academy to discuss the unitary status with certain members of the community and civic clubs members. [Reporter’s Note: As I entered the library at noon at Harris Academy I could see that the people were surprised to see me there. Later I learned that there were personal “invitations” to this meeting. Most of the people in the community did not know about this meeting.]

“I have asked the principals in the district if they wanted to have a small meeting in their schools with parents. Mrs. LeDay who is the principal, asked me to do so and that’s why I’m here today,” stated Kujawa. This meeting turned out to be a repeat of the presentation at previous meetings held at other public schools in the district. Still, many people in the community still have some of the same questions about the possible unitary status. “I want whatever is best for our kids,” said Alpha Campbell. Kujawa kept stating at this meeting and previous meetings why the board wants to go into unitary status. She said it is because it is time to move forward and under the unitary status the board will be able to hire more Black teachers. Later that night, at the M.O. Campbell building the district had another meeting.

This meeting was to give a summary of the other meetings that have taken place and to give the community another chance to have their say before the board made its final decision. The room was filled with parents, retired teachers in the district and community representatives. “We are back to square one. These are some of the same questions I hear popping up at every meeting. I recommend that the board stop this process and give the citizens a chance. I thought this meeting would be a sit-down meeting, but it is obvious that this is a ‘dog and pony show’ meeting,” stated Roy Douglas Malonson, president and CEO of the Acres Home Citizens Chamber. He made this statement after it became clear to everyone that the board’s decision was already made.
Some people were in agreement with with the board. “What were these people (community representatives) 25 years ago? We have to do what will benefit our children,” stated Charletta Cleaver. “I’m in favor of the unitary status. We don’t need the justice department to oversee our schools. I like to see Acres Home opening schools, but I don’t trust those people in AISD. I would like for someone on the board with a background in education and someone who has been in the schools to help watch the board to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to do one under the unitary status,” stated Linda Gamble.

Earl Harris stated, “You have been an outstanding school board in the history of Aldine. I’m putting my trust in the board. The people who were invited to the meeting at Harris Academy on Thursday were people who are in the civic club and people who pay taxes. The district should not be under the desegregation order because the district is totally integrated. There are only a few Whites. Why be under an order when the school is totally Black now? We are still going to have problems in the district if the justice department rule against the unitary status.”
Others still weren’t in favor of unitary status. Rolen Womack stated, “The board make good points, but they can’t have their cake and eat it too. I’m for the ‘Chamber Plan.’ I don’t want to see the children in the morning waiting in the dark to get on the bus to go to school. There is too much happening in the world these days. I’m for this plan for the safety of our children.”
“The old plan has run it course it’s time for a new change. Aldine is a minority school it’s a different ball game now. This desegregation plan restricts the board from hiring Black teachers,” stated Leroy Flowers. On September 17, the district had a regular meeting to discuss the class size waiver, waiver for foreign exchange students and many more issues. But what everyone in attendance wanted to know is the decision the board will make on the Sampson v. Aldine case. Once again, the room was packed with concerned individuals. The board saved this decision to be discussed last. The board voted in front of everyone with A.W. Jones reading a statement of why the board wanted unitary status. After the last vote it was clear that the board had ruled in favor in the unitary status.

Mary Paul said “I would like for the community and for the Aldine leaders to come together and talk about the direction desegregation should go before unitary is made the main factor. I think it’s trust, more than anything now. I think the community has a semi-distrust because we’ve gone through so much..”
Malonson said, “It appears your mind is made up and one of the basic things is to close the equality gap. This is a very arrogant board. They did not bring this to the community and we only learned about it after the fact. To hear some people make the same comments as Earl Harris and for him to say to Aldine that they are doing a great job, well, is he a sell out, a traitor or a coward? I believe Mary Paul is on the fence, straddling the line because she’s double talking.” This decision from the board is far from being final for the community. Many say they plan to fight it by taking the board to court.