Laserfiche WebLink
32 <br />COUNCIL CHAMBER - JANUARY 27, 1959 <br />THE COUNCIL MET IN SPECIAL SESSION ON THIS DATE WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS <br />PRESENT: MR. COLEMAN, MR. DAVIS, MR. MICHIE, MR. SCRIBNER AND MR. WEINBERG. <br />ABSENT: NONE. <br />A MOTION BY MR. COLEMAN, SECONDED BY MR. SCRIBNER, THAT UNANIMOUS CONSENT <br />BE GIVEN TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED BY THE <br />FOLLOWING RECORDED VOTE: AYES: MR. COLEMAN, MR. DAVIS, MR. MICHIE, MR. SCRIBNER <br />AND MR. WEINBERG. NOES: NONE. <br />ON MOTION BY MR. WEINBERG, SECONDED BY MR. DAVIS, THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION <br />WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED: <br />RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE THAT THE <br />COUNCIL DOES HEREBY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE AND ENDORSE THE RESOLUTION OF THE <br />RESOLUTION RE: CITY SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTED JANUARY Z6, 1959 IN REGARD TO THE REOPENING OF <br />REOPENING OF SCHOOLS <br />LANE HIGH SCHOOL AND VENABLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. <br />LIKE MOST OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS, WE BELIEVE, WE DEEPLY DEPLORE <br />THE FACT THAT IF THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT <br />DOES NOT GRANT THE STAY TO BE REQUESTED PURSUANT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD S <br />RESOLUTION SOME INTEGRATION MUST RESULT WHEN THOSE SCHOOLS ARE REOPENED <br />AND EVEN IF THE STAY IS GRANTED THAT RESULT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY FOLLOW IN <br />SEPTEMBER. BUT THE LAWS DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN COMPLETE SEGREGATION HAVE <br />BEEN DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY OUR OWN STATE SUPREME COURT AND THE <br />SCHOOL BOARD, AS ADVISED BY ITS COUNSEL,IS UNDER A PLAIN LEGAL DUTY TO RE- <br />OPEN THE SCHOOLS AND IN SO DOING TO COMPLY WITH THE DECREES OF THE FEDERAL <br />COURTS. <br />AS FAR AS THE SCHOOL BOARD IS CONCERNED IT HA5 MERELY RECOGNIZED <br />THE INEVITABLE. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WITH FULL COOPERATION FROM THIS <br />COUNCIL, THE BOARD HAS ENDEAVORED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO AVOID ANY INTEGRATION <br />AT ALL, COMPLYING WITH ALL OF THE STATE LAWS DESIGNED TO REACH SUCH RESULT <br />EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ALWAYS GRAVE DOUBTS AS TO THEIR CONSTITUTIONALITY. IT <br />HAS COME TO THE END OF THE ROAD. IT IS PLAIN THAT WE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN THE <br />ACCEPTANCE OF A MINIMUM DEGREE OF INTEGRATION AS ALL THE STATES SURROUNDING <br />VIRGINIA - NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, WEST VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND - <br />HAVE ALREADY DONE OR ELSE ABANDON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM COMPLETELY. <br />IT IS UNTHINKABLE THAT WE SHOULD ABANDON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. <br />ASIDE FROM THE INJUSTICE TO THOUSANDS OF OUR CHILDREN THAT WOULD RESULT THE <br />ECONOMIC EFFECT ON OUR CIVIC LIFE WOULD BE OVERWHELMINGLY DISASTROUS. PUBLIC <br />EDUCATION MUST BE MAINTAINEDt <br />WE HOPE AND BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN, THROUGH <br />TUITION GRANTS OR OTHERWISE, A SYSTEM OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THOSE WHO FEEL <br />THAT THEY DO NOT WISH TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE EVEN SLIGHTLY <br />INTEGRATED. BUT IT SEEMS INEVITABLE THAT WE SHALL HAVE SOME DEGREE OF <br />INTEGRATION, WE HOPE VERY SLIGHT, IN SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND UNDER THESE <br />CIRCUMSTANCES, WE URGE ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO KEEP CALM AND TO ACCEPT THE <br />INEVITABLE WITH DIGNITY. ABOVE ALL THERE MUST BE NO RESORT TO FORCE OR <br />VIOLENCE AND ALL OUR CITIZENS MUST REFRAIN FROM DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD <br />BESMIRCH THE FAIR NAME THAT OUR FINE CITY NOW ENJOYS THROUGHOUT THE LAND. <br />ON MOTION THE MEETING ADJOURNED. <br /> <br />