Separate Is Never Equal, by Duncan Tonatiuh

[Valerie]

I read this book for the ATY 2019 Challenge Week 42: Monster or Monsterous character.

The monster is racism! Seventy years ago, this family led a fight for themselves and all children of color in the state of California to have desegregated education. They believed that separate was never equal and proved it. When Brown vs the Board of Education was heard in the Supreme Court of the United States, desegregated schools were the norm in California. I was amazed to learn that Earl Warren was the judge in the Mendez case. He was also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the Brown vs the Board of Education case. However, as time has passed, schools are again facing this type of crisis. Unfortunately, economic factors contribute to the problem, but so do charter schools. Racism never dies, sadly!