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School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp / Murray v. Curlett
Following the Engel v. Vitale case, the School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp and Murray v. Curlett cases confirmed that requiring students to read passages from the Bible violated the first amendment therefore it is unconstitutional. Hence, the students who choose to excuse themselves from participating will not be punished. This paved the way towards a multicultural education because it accommodated students from different religious backgrounds. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act aided minorities by forbidding discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin. Schools and businesses can no longer discriminate and must treat people from different backgrounds with equal respect. From this point forward, minorities, women, and disabled individuals receive the same opportunity in the workplace and in schools as those who sprung from privileged backgrounds, therefore creating a foundation of desegregation. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed by Lyndon Johnson to use federal funds to help children from low-income students receive the same education as privileged students. This act brought future educational programs such as Title I and bilingual education which shaped multicultural education immensely. With these acts, schools with a high rate of low-income students from all backgrounds will receive the same educational opportunities as the privileged. -
Epperson et al. v. Arkansas
In the case of Epperson et al. v. Arkansas, the Supreme Court ruled that banning the teaching of evolution in schools is unconstitutional. It violated freedom of speech, stated in the first amendment, and due process clause, stated in the fourteenth amendment. This case is crucial for multicultural education because it accommodated students who did not come from religious backgrounds. Therefore, it is seen as a step towards taking religious bias out of education. -
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibited discrimination based off of sex not only in sports but in academia as well. Women will receive equal opportunities as men in any program funded by the government. This amendment further pushed the boundaries of multicultural education further because it encouraged people to participate in educational activities despite their sex. -
Lau v. Nichol
The Lau v. Nichol case confirmed that schools that are unable to provide language instruction classes to the less-proficient are violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This case paved a new path for multicultural education by accommodating students from different backgrounds who are only fluent in their mother tongues. With this ruling, students facing language barriers will be able to receive the same education as those who are fluent in English. -
Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)
The Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), enforced by congress, becomes federal law and requires that disabled children will receive the same quality of free education as other students. This act affects multicultural education because it accommodates disabled students to be included in an academic setting that encourages learning. With this act, schools must provide a comfortable environment for disabled students. -
Plyler v. Doe
The Plyler v. Doe case confirmed that denying education to undocumented children violates the fourteenth amendment. Undocumented children must receive the same quality of education as other students and they cannot be charged a tuition fee for doing so. This case affected multicultural education because it protected undocumented children, helping them receive education despite their immigration status. -
Emergency Immigrant Education Act
The Emergency Immigrant Education Act was enforced in order to fund programs in schools that will help immigrant students. The act aids language instruction programs, bilingual educational services, and any school supplies needed for foreign students. This act affected multicultural education in a positive manner because children from all backgrounds will have less stress when transitioning into the school. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) signed by George W. Bush replaced the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 and enforced Lyndon Johnson's ESEA of 1965. The act pressured schools to produce better results yearly by using high-stakes testing methods and penalized the schools that cannot reach NCLB standards. The act had a detrimental affect on multicultural education because schools with low-income immigrant students struggle to meet the standards.
