What happened before Brown vs. Education?
Have you heard of the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education? Do you know why the law was created? Before I talk to you about the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education I want to give you some background information. According to the Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal”. This was not true because of slavery. It was not until after the Civil War that this statement became true. At least partially true. The thirteenth amendment put an end to slavery. After the years following freedom there was an amendment added to help the newly freed slaves. The fourteenth amendment stated that, no state should be allowed to deprive a person of either “due process of law” or “equal protections of law”. Even though the laws were passed, African Americans were still treated badly, especially in the South. The different states decided to pass laws that would legally segregate everything from schools, bathrooms, movies, and restaurants. These laws were known as the Jim Crow Laws. These were laws made by states to keep African American and whites separate. In 1896 a man by the name of Plessey was arrested in Louisiana because he refused to give up his seat to a white person on a train. He was arrested and he decided to sue Louisiana because he thought the law violated the fourteenth amendment. After going to court he lost the case. In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, Justice Henry Billings Brown, writing the majority opinion, stated that: "The object of the [Fourteenth] amendment was undoubtedly to enforce the equality of the two races before the law, but in the nature of things it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to endorse social, as distinguished from political, equality. . . If one race be inferior to the other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane" (usgov.org). This was just the beginning of many more lawsuits. Because of this decision, the Jim Crow Laws were upheld and African Americans continued to be segregated from whites.
What is Brown vs. Education?
The most common situation remembered by most adults involving the Brown vs. the Board of Education in a young lady by the name of Linda Brown. She was an African American student that wanted to attend a less crowded white school that was close to her neighborhood. Instead, she was bused to a more crowded African American school that was far away. Linda’s father and other parents from the school decided to file suit against the state of Kansas saying it was unconstitutional for the students to be separate but equal. They believed it violated the fourteenth amendment that guaranteed equal protection. They lost the case. They decided to go to the Supreme Court and the court consolidated their case with five other cases from other states. They kept the name Brown vs. the Board of Education and went on to win the case. On May 17, 1954, the court unanimously ruled segregation was unconstitutional and it violated the fourteenth amendment because separate is not equal.
What did this mean for students, teacher, and education?
The ruling of Brown vs the Board of Education meant that public school were no longer allowed to be segregated. African American students we able to attend white schools that offered better buildings and resources. It was not an easy task for the schools to become integrated. In 1955 there was a second ruling known as “Brown II” to help assist the school districts involved in the initial court case in determining how to best meet the spirit of the law while upholding sound constitutional principles in the process. (Lopez & Burciagna, 2014) Power was given to the states to determine a way to desegregate the schools and most of them found loopholes to take as long as they wanted. This means that the students suffered and they were not able to go to the schools as planned. The case did not fully succeed in desegregating schools. Did you know that three years after the change in the law nine students in Little Rock, Arkansas were denied access to an all-white school? The national guard were used to ensure they would have entrance into the school. Things did not improve immediately but changes did occur.
Overtime, integration helped increase the middle class of the African American community. Students we able to choose the school they wanted to attend. With more students having access to better schools they we able to continue to go to college and become doctors, lawyers, teachers and go into more successful fields. African American teachers were able to teach at different schools and earn more money. When teaching at an all-black school, teachers earned less than their white counterparts working at white schools. Teachers were also able to receive more resources that were not available in their classroom. The law also increased the diversity of education and the different races were able to learn about each other. It gave racial integration and racial justice to the education system. The case also help the education system see that students can learn together.
It has been over 60 years since the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education and many people think that segregation is worse than it was in 1954. By 2014, American schools had resegregated by race, resources, socioeconomic status, and language, making separate and unequal schooling the norm in American public education. (Scott & Quinn, 2014, p.750) We have to learn as a nation to make sure our children are given the same opportunities so we can be comparable to the rest of the nation.
"Little Rock Nine: Did you know this happened in 1957? This was three years after the Brown vs. the Board of Education verdict"
Resources:
Birzer, M. L., & Ellis, R. B. (2006). Debunking the myth that all is well in the home of brown v. topeka
board of education: a study of perceived discrimination. Journal of Black Studies, (6). 793.
Lark, T. S. (2012). The desegregation of higher education, race conscious admissions policies and the
federal constitution: before Brown vs. Board and beyond. Journal of Pan African Studies, (5), 29.
Lopez. G. R., & Burciaga, R. (2014). The troublesome legacy of brown v. board of education. Educational Administration Quarterly, 50(5), 796. doi: 10.1177/0013161X14551410
Scott, J., & Quinn, R. (2014). The politics of education in the post-brown era: race, markets, and the
struggle for equitable schooling. Educational Administration Quarterly, 50(5), 749.
doi: 10.1177/0013161X14551983
What happened before Brown vs. Education?
Have you heard of the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education? Do you know why the law was created? Before I talk to you about the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education I want to give you some background information. According to the Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal”. This was not true because of slavery. It was not until after the Civil War that this statement became true. At least partially true. The thirteenth amendment put an end to slavery. After the years following freedom there was an amendment added to help the newly freed slaves. The fourteenth amendment stated that, no state should be allowed to deprive a person of either “due process of law” or “equal protections of law”. Even though the laws were passed, African Americans were still treated badly, especially in the South. The different states decided to pass laws that would legally segregate everything from schools, bathrooms, movies, and restaurants. These laws were known as the Jim Crow Laws. These were laws made by states to keep African American and whites separate. In 1896 a man by the name of Plessey was arrested in Louisiana because he refused to give up his seat to a white person on a train. He was arrested and he decided to sue Louisiana because he thought the law violated the fourteenth amendment. After going to court he lost the case. In the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, Justice Henry Billings Brown, writing the majority opinion, stated that: "The object of the [Fourteenth] amendment was undoubtedly to enforce the equality of the two races before the law, but in the nature of things it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to endorse social, as distinguished from political, equality. . . If one race be inferior to the other socially, the Constitution of the United States cannot put them upon the same plane" (usgov.org). This was just the beginning of many more lawsuits. Because of this decision, the Jim Crow Laws were upheld and African Americans continued to be segregated from whites.
What is Brown vs. Education?
The most common situation remembered by most adults involving the Brown vs. the Board of Education in a young lady by the name of Linda Brown. She was an African American student that wanted to attend a less crowded white school that was close to her neighborhood. Instead, she was bused to a more crowded African American school that was far away. Linda’s father and other parents from the school decided to file suit against the state of Kansas saying it was unconstitutional for the students to be separate but equal. They believed it violated the fourteenth amendment that guaranteed equal protection. They lost the case. They decided to go to the Supreme Court and the court consolidated their case with five other cases from other states. They kept the name Brown vs. the Board of Education and went on to win the case. On May 17, 1954, the court unanimously ruled segregation was unconstitutional and it violated the fourteenth amendment because separate is not equal.
What did this mean for students, teacher, and education?
The ruling of Brown vs the Board of Education meant that public school were no longer allowed to be segregated. African American students we able to attend white schools that offered better buildings and resources. It was not an easy task for the schools to become integrated. In 1955 there was a second ruling known as “Brown II” to help assist the school districts involved in the initial court case in determining how to best meet the spirit of the law while upholding sound constitutional principles in the process. (Lopez & Burciagna, 2014) Power was given to the states to determine a way to desegregate the schools and most of them found loopholes to take as long as they wanted. This means that the students suffered and they were not able to go to the schools as planned. The case did not fully succeed in desegregating schools. Did you know that three years after the change in the law nine students in Little Rock, Arkansas were denied access to an all-white school? The national guard were used to ensure they would have entrance into the school. Things did not improve immediately but changes did occur.
Overtime, integration helped increase the middle class of the African American community. Students we able to choose the school they wanted to attend. With more students having access to better schools they we able to continue to go to college and become doctors, lawyers, teachers and go into more successful fields. African American teachers were able to teach at different schools and earn more money. When teaching at an all-black school, teachers earned less than their white counterparts working at white schools. Teachers were also able to receive more resources that were not available in their classroom. The law also increased the diversity of education and the different races were able to learn about each other. It gave racial integration and racial justice to the education system. The case also help the education system see that students can learn together.
It has been over 60 years since the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education and many people think that segregation is worse than it was in 1954. By 2014, American schools had resegregated by race, resources, socioeconomic status, and language, making separate and unequal schooling the norm in American public education. (Scott & Quinn, 2014, p.750) We have to learn as a nation to make sure our children are given the same opportunities so we can be comparable to the rest of the nation.
Suggested Additional Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html
http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/history-brown-v-board-education-re-enactment
"Educational separation in the US prior to Brown Map" by User:King_of_Hearts - Created by King of Hearts using information from Image:Educational seperation in the US prior to Brown Map.PNG (PD) and Image:Blank US Map.svg (GFDL) as a template.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
"Little Rock Nine: Did you know this happened in 1957? This was three years after the Brown vs. the Board of Education verdict"
Resources:
Birzer, M. L., & Ellis, R. B. (2006). Debunking the myth that all is well in the home of brown v. topeka
board of education: a study of perceived discrimination. Journal of Black Studies, (6). 793.
Lark, T. S. (2012). The desegregation of higher education, race conscious admissions policies and the
federal constitution: before Brown vs. Board and beyond. Journal of Pan African Studies, (5), 29.
Lopez. G. R., & Burciaga, R. (2014). The troublesome legacy of brown v. board of education. Educational
Administration Quarterly, 50(5), 796. doi: 10.1177/0013161X14551410
Scott, J., & Quinn, R. (2014). The politics of education in the post-brown era: race, markets, and the
struggle for equitable schooling. Educational Administration Quarterly, 50(5), 749.
doi: 10.1177/0013161X14551983