Catherine Rusoff
Topeka, Kansas – Birthday gifts and home-delivered cakes aren’t usually part of the school curriculum, but Topeka Public Schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson rarely follows a lesson plan when there’s a child in need.
“If we don’t do it, who will?” Anderson asks.
The neighborhood in the center of the landmark Brown v. 1954 Board of Education, which banned racial segregation in schools, is now led by its first black superintendent. Friday marks the 70th anniversary of that landmark Supreme Court decision.
“I think, 70 years later, I live with the privilege of helping their hopes and dreams come true,” Anderson said of those who fought to overturn the “separate but equal” policy in schools. “I stand on their shoulders. If it weren’t for the plaintiffs in the Brown case.”
The district’s high school graduation rates soared from about 70% to 91% during Anderson’s eight-year tenure. She also established programs to boost morale — such as graduation ceremonies for students at a nearby state correctional institution.
She also revolutionized post-high school opportunities for her students. Through a partnership with a local health center, students can take classes and get certified in things like phlebotomy, and are even guaranteed jobs after they graduate.
In a district where 46% of students qualify for subsidized lunch, Anderson has placed washers and dryers in schools and opened food and clothing pantries.
“It’s really not hard to attract people when they know you care and they know they can be part of something amazing and transformative,” Anderson told CBS News.
Anderson speculates that fear may be the reason these changes are not occurring on a larger scale in the US.
“Fear can make you choose not to accept other people, fear can shut down systems in a way that nothing else can,” Anderson said.
Now, the historic neighborhood is transforming once again, this time opening its doors to refugees and migrants.
“Just because someone doesn’t speak English doesn’t mean they’re any less valuable to the community,” said Pilar Mejía, director of cultural innovation for Topeka Public Schools.
Students from more than 40 countries have enrolled in the district.
“It would be tragic,” Mejía said of where some of these families would be without his help. “They may end up not being able to come or remain in dire situations in their countries.”
Anderson says there is a lineage from 1954 to today of families who come to the US in search of what their parents fought for 70 years ago.
“The connection is that they all seek a better, brighter future,” Anderson said. “Everyone expects something better for their lives. We are dealing with families who want more for their children.”
Janet Shamlian
