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afforded him. Studies have shown conclusively that the

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students who are unable to compete because of inferior

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education ultimately become an unskilled, unemployed citi-

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zen at best and at worst a chronic welfare recipient or

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criminal. Having served on the Ways and Means Committee

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of the Legislature, I can tell you that the choice of

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payment for welfare and crime is not optional, that is

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there whether we want it or not. The question raised by

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the amount of education to be provided is in effect an op-

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tional one. But the results of the failure to so provide

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are dramatic and have been demonstrated thoughout this

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State and throughout the Nation. Failure to provide equal

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educational opportunity is deleterious not only to those

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children so denied but on the society in which they are

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unable to fully participate. The judgment for providing

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this equal education opportunity must be set against the

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test of reasonable differences which the Legislature must

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consider.

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Perhaps to make this point clear, we should say

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we are not setting any absolute standard of equality, but

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rather one in which the finding is in the seeking.