Civil Rights Activists, Teachers Call on Candidates to Address Reforming Education System

By: Michael H. Cottman

A national coalition of black civil rights leaders, elected officials and educators are mobilizing to reform public school education and challenge presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain to work toward racial equality in America’s schools.

Called the Education Equality Project, the initiative is designed to brand public school education as the premier civil rights issue of the 21st century by urging educators and public officials to re-think how America educates students with special needs.

Rev. Al Sharpton and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein are leading the project, and they hope others will embrace the idea.

"It will focus America's attention on its highest needs students, who -- 54 years after Brown v. Board of Education -- still receive far less educational opportunity and often struggle and fail in school," according to a statement.

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