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Plessy v. Ferguson
In Louisiana, Homer Plessy, who was ⅞ White, challenged the nation’s Separate Car Act since he was technically white. When he was told to vacate the White-only car, he did not, and when he was arrested and used the 13th and 14th Amendments. This case led up to the Supreme Court, where they decided in Ferguson's favor and upheld the "separate but equal" rule. Many people of color had to face the doctrine that segregation would not improve anytime soon, but it would. -
Brown v. the Board of Education, Topeka
Similarly, in Topeka, Kansas, Linda Brown, a third-grader denied access to white schools in her area, had to travel to an all-black school further away. This discrepancy violated the 14th Amendment, and the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Integration of colored schools would only allow more diversity to be more tolerant into the classroom that we know today. -
Title IX
During the 1970s, tensions between marginalized groups came to an all-time high with movements like the Women's Rights movement. The controversy that all men are created equal came to light with the proposition of Title IX. This law states that no student should be discriminated against because they are male, female, gay, or do not conform to gender stereotypes. So, females were no longer oppressed from doing what they did or planned to do, which was a win during the Women's Rights movement. -
Lau v. Nichols
In San Francisco, California, there was a fluctuation of Chinese students who spoke little to no English. In response, they could only educate half of the load and still held instruction in English. Students like Kinney Lau felt the discrepancy and argued that this inequality violated the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Supreme Court ruled in their favor which gave attention to the idea that students cannot be deprived of participating in the public education program. -
Goss v. Lopez
In Columbus, Ohio, ten students were suspended for ten days without the school principals holding hearings for these students. Although it was not required by state law, parents questions their student's due process rights. From federal to Supreme court, the court argued that students still held their due process rights as they were still U.S. citizens. This challenge established that parents/guardians should be given a notice and a hearing if their child(ren) are to be suspended. -
Education of All Handicapped Children Act
In the air of struggling, concerns with special education were addressed in this act. This act ensures that special education services are available to children who need them. Their services are fair and appropriate. They have a specific curriculum and instruction, and they provide federal funds to help the states for these to occur. As similar to a traditional student's education. -
Plyler v. Doe
In parallel to the Lau v Nichols case, in Texas, school districts were given a choice whether they wanted to educate undocumented children. A school district came under fire after they chose not to. In Plyler v. Doe, they argued that this situation violated their 14th Amendment. Despite their citizen status, they still should be under unprotected American laws. The Supreme Court ruled in their favor under the clause that undocumented people are still ordinary people. -
Grutter v. Bollinger
A white resident of Michigan, Barbara Grutter, applied to a local state law school, and she was denied. The District Court, for her representation, argued that the school's only reason for their diversity factor was their enjoyment of using race in their admission process. The Supreme Court shut this down by ruling in the school's favor, stating that their interest in increasing the diversity at their school is lawful because it is not an influential factor determining whether they are accepted.