City doesn't need 2 CRAs
A letter to the Editor
Winter Haven News Chief, 7/16/2001

By ROBERT T. MATHIS Sr.
Winter Haven

It appears that the Winter Haven city commissioners are attempting to revisit an almost forgotten era in Winter Haven and throughout the United States. Even as far back as 1954, some of the highly respected and top judicial scholars our country has ever known, wrote: "In Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas, that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional and it had a psychological effect on the learning abilities of colored children." In other words, the Supreme Court's decision did away with the dual school system in this country, supposedly.

Recently in federal court in Tampa, several black concerned citizens asked Judge Merryday to not dismiss the civil case that was filed in 1963; Mills vs. Polk County School Board, because the school board had not met its requirements to fairly eradicate the dual system and make it a unitary system.

Currently, the city commissioner's decision for two CRAs in Winter Haven creates a form of discrimination and separatism. It is not fair and definitely creates segregation. Winter Haven needs only one CRA and one advisory committee for the city. When Florence Villa had a steering committee similar to CDC, it didn't accomplish anything. Further, if the city commissioners don't rescind their decision and allow two CRAs to exist in Winter Haven, the city will be taking steps backward instead of taking steps forward. Thus discrimination and separatism help create 'yes men' and 'uncle toms' that we do not need.

I can recall in the early 1930s when Winter Haven was segregated, black teachers made inferior salaries than white teachers. Black citizens could not fish in lake Martha or Lake Silver. Those were lakes used only by whites. Now all citizens are given equal chances to develop and succeed. If this country had not changes its policies and laws so that all citizens could exercise their talents, there would not be a Tiger Woods at the top of the professional golf world and there would not be any Serena and Venus Williams at the top of the professional tennis world. This has been established that dual systems are unfair and unconstitutional when dealing with schools, beaches, lunch counters and communities. So why would the city commissioners start regressing? Your utmost goal as commissioners should be to progress and treat all Winter Haven citizens fairly and impartially.

Lastly, if Mr. Mayor and Mr. Vice Mayor and all other commissioners can no longer discharge your duties as commissioners fairly and impartially for all of Winter Haven citizens, it would be in the best interest of the city of Winter Haven to have your resignations and we will pursue further with a special election and everyone concerned can move on with their lives.