FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement from Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr., the Board of Regents, and State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring legacy, we reflect upon his steadfast belief in the power of education to transform people and society. Dr. King taught us that true education is not only about expanding knowledge, but also about cultivating character. King understood that people of intelligence and character are necessary to build a society that is grounded in fairness and dignity for all. His vision of an educated society dovetails perfectly with the core mission of the New York State Education Department: to ensure every student has the resources, support, and opportunities necessary to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their communities and the broader world.
In his immortal Letter From a Birmingham Jail, Dr. King wrote that “human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy.” So, let us all pledge to do whatever we can to make real the promise of Dr. King’s words; to make real the promise of equal educational opportunity for all. Our children cannot wait. Their time is now.
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