Brown v Board of Education

Issue

The main issue in Brown v. Board of Education(1954) was racial segregation in schools. The case consolidated multiple cases in which African American Minors sought the court’s help in being allowed to join public schools on a non-segregated basis. These minors had been prevented from joining white public schools due to state laws that allowed segregation based on a “separate but equal” policy. The plaintiffs argued that these laws infringed upon their Fourteenth Amendment. Therefore, the court aimed to determine whether this separation in public schools deprived racial minority children of equal protection guaranteed in the Fourteenth Amendment. 

Rules 

This case involved the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protection from discrimination based on race and other protected groups. The amendment prevents states from ratifying laws that infringe upon citizens’ right to equal protection under the law. The “equal but different doctrine” established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) was also applicable due to its interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment. This doctrine endorsed racial segregation as long as minorities had equivalent facilities or services. 

Analysis 

The court adopted a novel interpretation of the equal protection clause to resolve this issue. First, it argued that the “equal but separate” doctrine was based on tangible elements, such as facilities and teachers in public schools. However, educational equality is not based solely on tangible elements. Specifically, education is essential for teaching students about cultural values and preparing them for their future careers. As a result, there are intangible elements that require all students to have equal access to education opportunities. In the argument, the Supreme Court argued that segregation denies minority children equal opportunities to exchange opinions with their peers (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). As a result, segregating minority students from their white peers based on race can generate a feeling of inferiority. These students can also question their position and status in the community, creating long-term detrimental outcomes on their educational quality. Specifically, perceived inferiority affects African American students’ motivation to learn. Therefore, it is impossible to equalize education opportunities when provided on a segregated basis. 

Conclusion 

The court concludes that the “separate but equal” doctrine in public education is inherently unequal because it does not consider the intangible qualities of education. Despite equal investment in segregated public schools, separating students based on their race hinders learning because it imposes an inferior label on African Americans. Consequently, laws promoting segregation in public schools violate minority students’ equal protection guaranteed by the law. 

Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537, 16 S. Ct. 1138, 41 L. Ed. 256 (1896).