By Scott J. Turnbull, Superintendent, Soquel Union Elementary School District
On Nov. 14, Main Street Elementary School celebrated Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
Ruby Bridges is escorted into William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans by U.S. Marshals. • Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Who is Ruby Bridges?
To answer that, I’ll first reference the landmark court decision, Brown v. Board of Education, which determined that having separate schools for white children that blocked black students from attending was unconstitutional.
The court decision took place in 1954. It took several years for actual practice to catch up to that court ruling.
In 1957, the “Little Rock Nine” (nine students) integrated the previously all-white Little Rock Central High School under an executive order from then-President Eisenhower and support from the Arkansas National Guard.
The late 1950s and early 1960s were the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
Main Street School Campus Supervisor Janelle Kenagy leads a chant before the walk.
At this time, 1960 specifically, Ruby Bridges was a 6-year-old living in New Orleans, Louisiana. She had attended a segregated school for kindergarten.
For first grade, she was identified to attend and integrate an all-white school, William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. A few other black students were integrating previously all-white schools that year in Louisiana, though Ruby was the only one to go specifically to William Frantz Elementary School.
Her historic first day of attendance at the school was, you guessed it, Nov. 14, 1960. Ruby showed tremendous courage and poise for such a young person in the face of hostile crowds protesting her attendance.
She was escorted to the school by federal marshals and had to stay in the principal’s office for safety. Some white parents took their children out of the school in protest. Teachers refused to teach Ruby, except for one teacher named Barbara Henry.
Through it all, Ruby persevered and is now a symbol of integration and the Civil Rights Movement. Her remarkable story has been retold in numerous mediums, including children’s books, a movie, TV shows, and the earliest, a 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell titled The Problem We All Live With.
To honor Ruby’s courage and the positive change it represented in our country, fifth graders in the South San Francisco Unified School District voiced their opinion to make November 14th Ruby Bridges Day.
Their work resulted in a resolution (SR-5) passed by the California State Senate on Sept. 10, 2021, proclaiming November 14th as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
Main Street Elementary School joined this year and celebrated Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Main Street Campus Supervisor Janelle Kenagy was the catalyst for making the event happen.
We cannot be more thankful that Janelle took the bull by the horns and proposed implementing the event to Main Street Principal Craig Broadhurst. Mr. Broadhurst enthusiastically received the proposal to celebrate this historic event.
Ms. Kenagy contacted AAA, which partnered with the Ruby Bridges Foundation and provided free materials such as pennants and backpacks for the event and prepared for the big day with her colleagues.
Classes read about and researched Ruby Bridges in advance to give the day more meaning.
On the morning of Nov. 14, students, parents, teachers, and staff gathered first in the parking lot of a local church well before the school day started.
Ms. Kenagy led the group in chants celebrating Ruby Bridges and her brave walk to school all those years ago. Spirits were high as the large group walked to school in Ruby’s honor, carrying a large banner at the front of the pack.
Many students waved Ruby Bridges pennants.
I am confident that by participating in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, Main Street students will have a deeper connection to the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
I welcome you to check out a great video memorializing the event on our social media channels (@soqueluesd on Instagram, SUESD on Facebook, and Soquel Scoop on YouTube).
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Scott J. Turnbull is superintendent of Soquel Union Elementary School District.