By Patricia Morris
As we digress to the past several years since returning to court in the Moore Case, we remind ourselves of the accomplishments that are now made.
Too often, perception of the NAACP is misunderstood in what the vision and mission of this organization is, to see all receive what is constitutionally theirs, and that those things are equal, and that this same misunderstanding causes many to stand and look from a distance on an organization that has the whole of mankind, and certainly all children in this school system at heart, and one that has lasted for 100 years.
As we remember those accomplishments made since returning to court in 2007, we are grateful such is now accomplished, and would not have been, except a group of citizens, black and white, came together and said enough is enough. We also need to say had it not been for the efforts of the NAACP and countless numbers of citizens in Tangipahoa Parish, both black and white, who help in this fight against the wrongs committed in this school system, much of what has been done would not have been done, and things would have been as they always have been since the schools in this parish were forced to integrate in 1969. We thank you for the support.
We are reminded of the story of the turtle and the rabbit. The rabbit felt that the turtle was too slow, and the turtle exhausted all of his energy speedily running ahead of the turtle, in thinking he would make it to the finish line before the turtle, because the turtle was naturally slow; however, the rabbit became tired, and needed rest and fell asleep. The turtle continued to run in his usual slow manner, and passed up the rabbit while he was asleep. The rabbit finally awakened, stretched, looked around and did not see the turtle. Thinking he had left the turtle in the dust of himself, the rabbit proceeded to run, singing, dancing, and most probably thinking he would be the winner.
Much to the surprise of the rabbit, he saw when he finally made it to the finish line, the turtle had crossed the finish line, and was sitting on the other side smiling, drinking a cool lemonade under a shade tree, and saying, "never underestimate the abilities of a turtle. While we (turtles) may be slow, we are thorough."
As the school system continues to run full speed ahead, sometimes ahead of itself, we say, "never underestimate the abilities of a turtle."
As it would appear, each time the Tangipahoa Parish School System rejoices, there is something else uncovered about how things are done wrong in the Tangipahoa Parish School System.