Integrated Schools In America, 50 Years Later

 
This week, Americans mark a turning point in the history of the United States. Fifty years ago, the Supreme 1 Court issued a ruling that declared racial segregation 2 in the nation's public schools to be illegal. The case was called Brown versus 3 Board of Education, and it was one of the most challenging tests of the nation's democratic values. In marking the anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision this week, educators, policy makers 4, parents and students are reviewing what it meant then and what it means now for the people of the United States. According to a poll conducted for the Associated Press by Ipsos U-S, the vast majority of Americans, black and white, now say the Brown versus Board decision has had a positive affect.

The years following the Brown versus Board decision brought new curricula to colleges and universities across the United States: ethnic 5 courses. "Chicano Studies," "African-American Studies," and "Asian Studies" have become commonplace on many American campuses. Generally, instructors 6 explore and celebrate the history and culture of a particular ethnic group. But now, there's a new "study" looming 8 on the academic horizon, and as Main Street's Maura Farrelly reports, the objective of so-called "Whiteness Studies" isn't exactly the celebration of white, American culture.

Another major court case in the United States has an anniversary this month. Thirty years ago, a court changed the rules about how the U-S government deals with pollution. The decision established the principle that government can force industry to clean up its mess. And if industry refuses, the government can shut it down. In the thirty years since the decision, there have been consequences. We have details today from The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Stephanie Hemphill.

Two-hundred years ago this month, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark started making their way up the Missouri River. This wasn't your ordinary hiking trip. They were sent by the then-president, Thomas Jefferson, to explore the uncharted American west. At the time - May of 1804 - it was as daring and as revolutionary a venture as sending a man to the moon. During the bicentennial observance of their famous expedition, Lewis and Clark are getting a lot of attention in the United States. In fact, here on Main Street in the months ahead, we will be bringing you occasional reports about their historic journey and the lands they discovered. Today, we begin where they began ... along the Missouri River, where hundreds of volunteers are cleaning up for the celebrations. Kevin Lavery of the Great Lakes Radio Consortium has the story.

注释：
turning point 转折点
Supreme Court 最高法院
ruling [5ru:liN] n. 裁决
racial segregation 种族隔离
Brown versus Board of Education布朗诉教育委员会案
Associated Press by Ipsos U-S 美国易浦索联社
curricula [kE5rikjulE] n. 课程
ethnic [5eWnik] adj. 人种的，种族的
Chicano [tFi:`kB:nEJ] ［美］n. 奇卡诺人，指墨西哥裔美国人
commonplace [5kCmEnpleis] adj. 普遍的
instructors [in5strQktE] n. 教师
loom 7 [lu:m] v. 隐现
academic [7AkE5demik] adj. 学术界的
horizon [hE5raizn] n.（知识、思想等的）范围，视野
The Great Lakes Radio Consortium 五大湖广播联盟
Missouri River密苏里河
hiking [haikiN] n. 徒步旅行
uncharted [5Qn5tFB:tid] adj. 未知的
venture [5ventFE] n. 冒险
bicentennial [5baisen5tenjEl] n. 二百年，二百周年纪念
observance [Eb5zE:vEns] n. 仪式，庆祝