"Today we mark the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court's unanimous decision declaring that school segregation is incompatible with the fundamental American principle of equality. As Californians, we can all be particularly proud of the role then-Chief Justice Earl Warren, a Republican who served as the Governor of California from 1943 until his appointment to the Court in 1953, in developing the court's unanimous opinion in the case. Justice Warren's diligence and hard work in forging consensus and a unanimous opinion was critical to ensuring the decision would have a lasting impact in moving America past segregation.
"Education is today's key civil rights issue. Every day, too many California children remain trapped in failing schools, many of which serve our Latino and African-American communities. No child should be trapped in a failing school in California. Every parent deserves the options and alternatives to choose the school that will work best for their child, whether it is public, private, parochial, or home school.
"Today's anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate how far America has come. It is also a reminder that many children today do not have the opportunity to go to a good school, and much work to this end remains to be done.