On Brown V. Board Anniversary, Duckworth Joins Murphy in Reintroducing Legislation to Increase Diversity in Schools

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) in reintroducing the Strength in Diversity Act on the 69^th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision. This legislation would promote diversity in schools through a federal grant program to support voluntary, community-driven strategies.

“No child should ever be denied equal resources, protections and opportunities to achieve their American Dream—not in schools, not anywhere,” said Duckworth. “Nearly seven decades after the Supreme Court unanimously dismantled racial segregation in our school system, I’m proud to help introduce the Strength in Diversity Act to make sure every kid has the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

“American public schools are more segregated than they have been in generations. Almost seventy years since the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, we still have a lot of work to do.  Black and Latino students and those in low-income communities far too often get the short end of the stick and are more likely to attend segregated schools with fewer resources and educational opportunities. But let’s also be clear, all students benefit from a diverse classroom, and the Strength in Diversity Act would give local school districts and state education agencies the resources to better integrate schools and give every kid a quality education,” said Murphy.

Specifically, the Strength in Diversity Act would establish a grant program to support voluntary local efforts to increase diversity in schools. Grants could fund a range of proposals, including:

• Studying segregation, evaluating current policies and developing evidence-based plans to address socioeconomic and racial isolation;
• Revising school boundaries, expanding equitable access to transportation for students, or improving open enrollment processes;
• Creating or expanding school programs that can attract students from outside the local area;
• Recruiting, hiring and training new teachers and improving teacher diversity;
• Supporting the development and maintenance of best practices.

Along with Duckworth and Murphy, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Strength in Diversity Act has been endorsed by the following organizations: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Federation of Teachers, Children’s Defense Fund, Education Law Center, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota, Integrated Schools, Intercultural Development Research Association, Magnet Schools of America, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, National Coalition on School Diversity, National Education Association, New York Appleseed, North Carolina Justice Center, Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Public Advocacy for Kids, Sheff Movement Coalition, Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy based at Brandeis University, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, The Bridges Collaborative at The Century Foundation, The Education Trust and Wayne County Community College District.

Duckworth is dedicated to helping ensure diverse lived experiences are represented in every part of our nation, from workforce development to our nation’s military to its small businesses.

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