Education is essential to lowering crime and promoting civil rights, Gerald Reynolds, chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, said last night.

The No Child Left Behind legislation and other facets of education were key topics of conversation between Reynolds and about 30 KU students at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The speech was given as part of a lecture series for a class in African and African-American studies.

Reynolds was nominated to the position by President George W. Bush in 2002.

Civil rights in the past and its implications for the future was the focus of Reynolds’ speech.

“Civil rights has always been a means to freedom,” Reynolds said. “There are opportunities now that people only once dreamed of.”

After the speech Reynolds was repeatedly questioned about the Bush administration and the No Child Left Behind Act.

Every question was coolly answered by Reynolds, but the questions were often feisty, with people badgering him on topics ranging from rap music to skills learned in school. Students wanted to know if Reynolds thought rap music was harmful to youth culture.

Reynolds was asked on a number of occasions whether he thought that No Child Left Behind was good, and he replied “yes” every time. The policy had many benefits, he said.

The legislation provided states with a goal in education, requiring them to actually teach the children, Reynolds said.

Reactions to his comments were mixed.

“I personally agreed with what he was saying,” Jenny Short, Olathe sophomore, said. “I thought his points were valid and I agreed that children should be tested.”

Others in the audience asked how the legislation affected teachers — if testing is prone to fraud and whether it is fair to test more disadvantaged children.

Reynolds claimed that the No Child Left Behind legislation finally held people responsible for teaching and for learning.

“Schools are now being forced to educate their children,” Reynolds said. “At the end of the day, love it or hate it, it makes people think about the importance of education.”