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Illegitimate children face harder time (Hey! That was Dan Quayle's line) *** Andrea and James are right that black children can learn just as well as any other children. They are right in urging black parents to get more involved in their children's education. They are right in calling on the educational community to increase its academic expectations of black children. All of those things will serve to improve test scores of black children.

But most of all, stable families are needed -- black, white and brown. Families with moms and dads who devote themselves to the care and well-being of their children; parents who see to their children's needs and who encourage them to excel in school. Unfortunately, life is messy and complicated. People change. Families split apart for various reasons -- some truly serious, some incredibly shallow and silly. One wonders, "Why did they get married in the first place?"

On a personal level for millions of children, it is a terrible, hurtful situation not of their making. On the whole, it is a national tragedy of untold consequences. With increasing numbers of out-of-wedlock births, how long can the nation last? ***

Black families have no choice in Pinellas***I could not agree more. Here is the ideal scenario: Give black parents the same freedom that white parents have to choose the neighborhood school down the street or a few blocks away. Find ways to attract the best and brightest teachers to work in these schools. Provide state-of-the-art equipment and the resources needed for these schools to succeed. No more shell games. Give black children the same chance to learn as white children have. Do not bus black children unless they want to be bused.

I will bet a month's salary that if we let blacks have neighborhood schools as part of their choice plan, parents will become true stakeholders and will participate in their children's lives at school. Everyone, black and white, will benefit.

When race is at issue, we fear the inevitable. And we fear the truth: Left to our own devices, we will segregate ourselves along racial and ethnic lines. Whites will associate with whites. Blacks will associate with blacks. After 2007, voluntary integration will teach us this harsh lesson.***