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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E37]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PASSING OF COURTNEY EVERTS MYKYTYN
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HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share a word
about the untimely passing of Courtney Everts Mykytyn.
In 1954, the United States Supreme Court unanimously struck down
lawful school segregation in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of
Education of Topeka. In a unanimous decision, the Court stated, ``where
the state has undertaken to provide it, [education] is a right which
must be made available to all on equal terms.'' Chief Justice Earl
Warren went on to state that ``in the field of public education, the
doctrine of `separate but equal' has no place.''
Courtney founded Integrated Schools in Los Angeles, California in
2015 to start a grassroots movement for school integration. Integrated
Schools' mission states: ``America's schools are more segregated than
before the Civil Rights Movement. . . . Through national organizing to
promote local action, we support, educate, develop and mobilize
families to ``live their values,'' disrupt segregation, and leverage
their choices for the well-being and futures for their own children,
for all children, and for our democracy.''
As champion for educational equity, Courtney recognized that school
integration is one of the most powerful tools to ensure that all
children have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. She
understood that the work of integrating our schools can be
uncomfortable and complicated, and worked to educate parents and build
community coalitions. Unlike many school integration efforts that place
burden solely on families of color, Courtney's mission was also to
challenge white families to integrate schools. Courtney was always
intentional in her efforts as she boldly stated: ``We're [white people]
the ones who kind of made it all [school integration] fail. Really
fixing it has to be on us.''
Courtney educated white families about how true school integration
requires both an understanding of systemic racism in America and the
careful work of relationship-building free of self-interested agendas
and without employing a white saviorism mentality. When I think of
Courtney's leadership on this important issue, I am reminded of the
Court's 1971 opinion in Swann v Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of
Education led by Chief Justice Earl Warren. He stated, ``. . . [A]ll
things are not equal in a system that has been deliberately constructed
and maintained to enforce racial segregation. The remedy for such
segregation may be administratively awkward, inconvenient, and even
bizarre in some situations, and may impose burdens on some; but all
awkwardness and inconvenience cannot be avoided . . .''
Courtney understood the consequences of segregation for children and
our democracy. She often spoke about how segregation undermines our
core American ideals of fairness and equality and worked tireless to
help fulfill the promise of Brown. Courtney emphasized that integrating
schools was not about sacrifice, but instead about a commitment to
strengthening our democracy and building a better society. I hope
advocates and families continue her legacy and commitment of fighting
for school integration. Further, I challenge this body to honor
Courtney's legacy in the months and years to come by taking the
necessary actions to support and advance school integration.
Madam Speaker, the sadness of the passing of Courtney Everts Mykytyn
is offset by her transformative work on school integration. Her death
is a great loss to the school integration movement and our country. She
will be greatly missed. I send my deepest sympathies to her loved ones,
including her husband, Roman Mykytyn, her two children, Stefan and
Lulu, and the Integrated Schools community.
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