This year marks 60 years since the United States Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Earl Warren, unanimously voted to end segregation in public schools. Though the ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education improved the education options for many children, it did not completely end segregation.
A look at the demographic makeup of certain schools today shows that segregation is still pervasive in American public schools on both sides of the Mason Dixon line. On Saturday’s Melissa Harris-Perry, we will take a look at the current state of school segregation and the empirical reasons behind the trend.
When it comes to executive, judicial, and independent agency nominations, we’re seeing a curious pattern with the fates of President Obama’s nominees. A new report by Common Cause on a phenomenon dubbed “The New Nullification” suggests that the president’s nominees are not being blocked because the Republican minority in the senate finds them unfit for office–but instead, because Republicans hope to block legislation that these nominees support. Join us Saturday for an in depth discussion on the political strategy behind holding up these votes and the affect it has on the political process.
In this week’s must-see viral video, recording artist Solange Knowles provided plenty of fodder when TMZ released a video of her allegedly attacking brother-in-law Jay-Z in an elevator at The Standard Hotel in New York. At one point, an unidentified man held Solange back while her sister Beyoncé looks on. The video has sparked a bevy of rumors as to what caused the confrontation–but the matter, it seems, will remain private. On Saturday we’ll be joined by author Janet Mock, E!’s Alicia Quarles, and former MTV reporter John Norris to discuss what that video shows us about our expectations of privacy in a world of constant surveillance.
We will also take a look at the shrinking availability of reproductive healthcare for women in the South, as well as bring you an update on Nigeria’s kidnapped (and still missing) schoolgirls. Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10am ET on msnbc! Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
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