They schooled me according to a black folk
tradition that taught that trouble doesn't last always, that the weak can gain victory over the
strong (given the right planning), that God is at the helm
of human history and that the best standard
of excellence is a spiritual relation to life obtained in one's prayerful relation to God.
Given Kentucky's record
of steady educational progress, the tremendous capacity
of its educators, and the
strong tradition in our communities that all children are «our kids,» there is ample reason for optimism that the Commonwealth can be the first state to achieve
excellence with equity.