Our schools were integrated when I was in the 6th grade. The kids we went to school with were the same kids we knew (for most of us), it's just that we were in the same schools now.
Then, the expectation placed on the students, regardless of 'color', was to strive for excellence. For less wealthy rural children, regardless of color, but especially for the blacks, education was seen as the ticket to success, and black teachers especially expected black students to work to the best of their ability.
We were all going to school together, 'equality' (of opportunity) was there, and they, most of all wanted their proteges to represent themselves and their part of the community well. The whole 'equal opportunity' thing was based on the reasons for economic disparities not being because of ability, but because of lack of opportunity, so it was especially socially important that those in the vanguard of the 'integrated' school classes make the very most of the chance they had. Some did, some didn't (for whatever reason--and there were more than one), but it wasn't long after the schools were integrated before there was rioting in the streets and schools over race, frankly, stirred up by outside agitators coming out of Washington DC and environs.
For those willing to embrace it, 'racism' has been the excuse for underperformance ever since.
While I am sure there were some legitimate instances when that was the case, it is a much more complex issue, and many of the forces degrading performance are cultural problems and social inertia, which has intensified with the willingness to use racism as an excuse to underperform. Those first in their generation or family to pursue post secondary education were often met with skepticism and derision by those whose ancestors had a tradition of college attendance, regardless of the color of your skin. It was up to us to prove the naysayers wrong, not blame them, but blame comes easier, especially when there are plenty of people who want to use an excuse rather than sweat to 'succeed'.
We need to return to the idea of excellence being the desirable outcome, of merit as the basis for advancement, and competence being the norm, not the exception.
Numbers know no race (mathematics can be the purest of sciences), but racists can use numbers. Twist the logic behind the math, and equations become the galley slaves of the New Order.
