Introduction
The Brown case concerned racial discrimination against children at school. This case combined five cases from different states where the plaintiffs alleged discrimination against schoolchildren. Moreover, the case was considered a class action in the first instance.
The Kansas Court of First Instance agreed that racial segregation of public schools negatively affects children of color (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). However, the court stated that children should be educated separately. Accordingly, the rights of children of color were not restored, and the case continued.
Arguments
The claimant disagreed with the court’s first instance decision and appealed it to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. The court’s decision confirmed the previous decision of the first instance and pointed out the legality of segregation. After the case was transferred to the United States Supreme Court, it was consolidated with three others. After reviewing all the evidence and other decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in schools violates children’s constitutional rights (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954).
When appealing to the Supreme Court, the plaintiffs’ arguments were based on three main points. Thus, the plaintiffs argued that their right to equal protection had been violated. The Fourteenth Amendment was not enforced, and children of color could not be afforded equal education and protection. The following argument is about the psychological and physical harm children suffer when they cannot attend all public schools (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). The reason is that they spend a lot of time traveling to school, which has a negative impact on their learning outcomes.
Another argument of the plaintiffs is that inequality will contribute to the development of stereotypes and their destruction in society. In general, the plaintiffs wanted to improve the learning environment for children and ensure that they were equal in society, not just at school. On the other hand, the defendants also put forward their own arguments on the case issue. They argued that racial segregation in schools is legitimate because it helps to preserve state influence (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). Furthermore, they argued that the Fourteenth Amendment grants states the right to control education; thus, their actions are legal.
The next argument was the existence of historical precedents that support their argument that children of color and white children are equal but should be educated separately (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). The defendants also argued that their decision not to admit children of color to white schools maintains social harmony. Therefore, both sides have put forward sufficient arguments to bring the case to the Supreme Court.
The Decision of the Supreme Court
The justices ruled unanimously that racial segregation was illegal on May 17, 1954. Nine courts voted to uphold the decision (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). Hence, the decision was not upheld by a majority of the justices but unanimously.
However, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the majority opinion upholding the illegality of racial segregation in schools. In general, the majority opinion focused on the fact that racial segregation does not comply with constitutional principles. They repeatedly rejected the then-existing doctrine, which promoted equality, but separately.
The judges noted that this doctrine did not proclaim the inequality between white and non-white children and that schools were engaging in racial discrimination (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). The majority opinion also supports the plaintiffs’ argument that racial segregation causes psychological harm to children. Therefore, after this landmark decision, public institutions should change their policies.
It is significant to mention that the judges decided unanimously and agreed on common reasoning, so they did not provide concurring opinions on this issue. Accordingly, this indicates that the judges recognized a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). Nevertheless, in deciding the case, the judges had two opinions that were to be issued in the future, although they unanimously adopted one of them.
Therefore, Stanley Forman Reed wrote an opinion stating that the court should not interfere with the control of education and that the Fourteenth Amendment was not violated. During the voting, the justices rejected this opinion and, unanimously, including Stanley Forman Reed, upheld the decision that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional (Brown v. Board of Education, 1954). However, all of the courts wrote concurring opinions that were different. Thus, the dissenting opinion was not supported by the judges and did not threaten the positive resolution of the case.
Importance of the Case
The case was necessary for educational development and the subsequent resolution of discrimination, although it did not actually change the Constitution. However, the results of the case influenced the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and racial segregation was then considered a form of inequality that violated people’s rights.
Conclusion
Hence, the case improved and detailed the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Brown v. Board of Education remains relevant and has not been replaced by another case. Moreover, the subsequent cases that addressed similar issues were based on the precedent of this case. Hence, this case is still one of the leading cases in the fight against racial segregation in the United States.
Reference
Brown v. Board of Education. 347 U.S. 483 (Supreme Court 1954).