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The Assault On Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
Duplicating the strategy and tactics
utilized by a small but clamorous group
of ultra zealots who blinded, intoxicated,
and coerced a slim majority of our
citizenry into voting to tear up the
Charter of the City of Athens and there
after setting a foot that voracious and
evil monstrosity mis-nomerized as
unification, seven non-sapient members
of the Clarke County Board of Educa
tion have given the recently appointed
District Superintendent a silver dagger to
plunge into the heart of Burney-Harris-
Lyons Middle School (formerly known
as Burney-Harris High School).
They cared not a wee that their flip
pant action would destroy and blot out
a forty-year symbol of African-American
heritage, unity, and culture. The decision
is unconscionable and deserves the
strongest of condemnation by the citizens
of our community.
Futhermore, it is incumbent that the
leadership of the African-American com
munity to initiate forthwith whatever ac
tion that is neccessary to nullify that
dastardly act of the Board and
Superintendent.
Since 1969 when the school district
reluctantly agreed to implement the 1954
Supreme Court decision, Brown v.
Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
(outlawing racial segregation in public
eduaction), there has been in place, in the
school district, a subtle, sophisticated,
hidden agendum whereby schools located
in predominantly African-American
neighborhoods would be, at the pro
pitious time, closed as sites for the im
plementation of the district’s general
education curriculum.
From that date (1969) till now, the
following named schools located in
African-American neighborhoods have
been shut down: East Athens Elemen
tary, West Broad Elementary, North
Athens Elementary, Lyons Junior, and
as I write, the weilders of the bloody dag
ger of death are preparing to mow down
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School.
Only one school located in a
predominantly white neighborhood has
been closed since 1969-College Avenue
Elementary.
The picture is very clear and well-
focused. It is an evil and putrid portrait
illuminating the ugly face of racism
which is the veritable rationale that is
fueling the decision to eliminate Burney-
Harris-Lyons Middle School as a site for
imparting general education.
Moreover, not a thimbleful of
African-American citizens believes that
the argument being preached and divin
ed by the Board and Superintendent
passes the test of credibility. They bellow
about lack of structural soundness and
exorbitant cost to remedy certain defects.
How fallacious! If their contention were
gospel, the twenty-year old Cedar Shoals
High School would have been liquidated
nearly fifteen years ago for having a
defective and leaky roof less than ten
years after it was constructed in 1972.
Falling ceilings, poorly constructed walls,
and other interior defects have accured.
Yet, nobody was shouting then and
nobody is shouting now about closing
that school. Why? The question is easy
to answer.
Additionally, It is a known fact that
the game plan of some of the Board’s
members is to create neighborhood
schools (re-segregate by neighborhoods).
They envision the existence of schools at
tendant zones in Clarke County arrang
ed or re-arranged in such a manner as to
restrict African-American students and
White students to attend schools nearest
to their respective neighborhoods. The
result would be segregation of schools
and students by race.
These same Board members lend sym
pathetic ears to the shrill voices of irate
parents who spout their poisonous
venom against the promotion and hiring
of African-American administrators,
against busing, and against the number
of African-American students who at
tend schools in certain White
neighborhoods.
Because of these kinds of odious har-
rassment being perpetrated by the racist
element in our midst, it is of the utmost
urgency that the leadership of the
African-American community demands
immediate investigation of the entire
school disrtict by the Office of Civil
Rights of the United States Department
of Justice.
Finally, if we, as African-Americans,
expect to be successful in protecting,
defending, and preserving our heritage
and culture, it becomes of paramount
importance that we create and nurture a
dynamic sense of unity and cohesiveness
among ourselves and within our com
munity (African-Americans) irrespective
of the area of the country in which we
live.
For virtually every social ill or injustice
that may befall mankind, the majority
race in our country is united, organized,
and ready for combat. Can we afford to
do less? The answer should be a resoun
ding “NO”. Therefore, it becomes an
imperative that we keep in constant
readiness a united and organized front to
defend and preserve our heritage and
cultural achievements. If we do nothing,
what lasting legacy can we leave to or for
future generations of African-
Americans?
Arthur Taylor is a retired teacher of
Political Science and Geography at
Burney Harris High and Cedar Shoals
High Schools.
ZEBRA VOL. 1 ISSUE 5
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