76-05-A7
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Education II
TranscriptI wonder how many of you could write the letter I received recently. I'm sure most of you will agree with it. I'll be right back. Not too long ago I received a letter from a lady in one of our midwestern cities--Not a megalopolis like Chicago--just a typical middle-sized city. I won't embarrass her by using her name or even identifying the city, which is pretty well known to me, but I will share her letter because in a way it's a cry from the heart of America. She wrote, “Last week, my husband and I attended meetings on the proposed integration of our schools,” Now let me state this is not going to be a protest against integration. The writer of the letter is not a bigot, is not prejudiced and the school system in her city is integrated already. It was long before any court decision, simply because the towns and cities of middle America drew no line at accepting all the children in town. Now, however, she says, “A committee has been set up at the school board because the proportions are not the same in each school.” She explains, “As it looks now, our children will be shifted around to suit the numbers game set down by the federal courts. When people seem satisfied with their lives, schools, etc., why do the courts and governments, federal, state, county, and city, jump in and tell us we aren't happy and that how we feel is discrimination.” Again, remember the schools in her city are all integrated and funding per student is absolutely equal throughout the system, so equality of education is as equal as money can make it. Her letter reveals that no court order is hanging over them, the school board just thinks it should do something before orders might come. She says the parents are told, quote, “There are no neighborhood schools.” Yet that school seven blocks from our house is still there. Here is her plea, “None of our schools is closed to minority children. We've had open enrollment for several years and very few children ever change schools. That seems to indicate that everyone is pleased with their school. So why must a city go through this turmoil because a few men say it must be done. Don't the masses of people have any say about their lives anymore? Well more and more Americans are asking that question. The school board tells her it's a voluntary program. It turns out it's only voluntary on the part of the school board, the parents have their orders and it's do it or else. She writes, “If we were rich, we could send our children to private schools. If we were poor the government would take care of us. We're middle class, so they tax us, strip us of our rights, hassle us and then tell us work, because someone has to pay all those needed taxes to pay for all those unneeded programs.” Then she asks, “How do we keep from being strangled and swallowed up by government. One day we may find we can do nothing without asking, ‘May I?’ I love my country, believe in God, family and freedom. Government cannot be all things to all people. We must save our pride and our ability to do things for ourselves.” This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.
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