The assistant principal of Burke High School, Mr. White, discussed the recent developments in public education in Charleston, South Carolina. (White attended Burkeley High School, a military school, and then attended the College of Charleston. At the time Burkeley, a largely white school, received better funding than Burke currently does. Such funding allowed the school to "reach students where they are and allows students to receive a better education."

"We want to educate every child adequately for the 21^st century. Our slogan, ‘no child will be left behind,’ reinforces this idea. However, there are many problems facing Burke which inhibit this success. First, parents do not support the school like they should. Second, we lack funding. Two years ago we could take kids on field trips, but now transportation has been privatized and we can’t afford field trips. Luckily, eighty percent of the kids walk to school, but that says a lot. We are the only public high school in Charleston and if eighty percent of the students walk then a lot of kids don’t go here. In fact, we only have one white student in the entire school. [The majority of white students in Charleston attend Academies.] Third, school is no longer cool. If kids want to play ball it is up to them, but then they have to come to school. However, society suggests that jocks should get special breaks."

"I think that students aren't aware of slavery and the continual impact that has had on Black people. If they were they would be more open to education. The kids need to understand their origins. They need to understand what the plight is and why it came about. Understanding the transgenerational plight of blacks will allow some healing. If the kids understood the significance of Charleston to their own history, I think their level of motivation would be higher. They need to understand where they are to prepare for the future. The curriculum used by Burke is supposed to be a skeleton. We emphasis the state standards in every subject. Unforunitly, that leaves very little time to incorporate anything else. Education is largely political, the state determines what is in the best interest of our school not us."