Final answer:
Attending a public school with students of different races is considered a civil right because it involves the right to equal treatment under the law without racial discrimination. The Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954 reinforced this right by declaring segregated schools unconstitutional due to their harmful psychological effects on Black children.
Step-by-step explanation:
Attending a public school of different races can be considered both a civil liberty and a civil right. Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, such as the freedom of speech and the freedom to receive an education without unwarranted government interference. Civil rights, on the other hand, involve the right to be free from unequal treatment based on certain protected characteristics in settings such as employment, housing, and education.
The Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954 was a landmark decision in the civil rights movement that declared segregated public schools unconstitutional. This Supreme Court case established that the act of segregating schools by race created a sense of inferiority among Black children and was therefore a violation of their civil rights. It was understood that racial discrimination had a severely detrimental impact on the educational and mental development of children.
While civil liberties maintain an individual's freedom from excessive governmental intrusion, civil rights ensure an individual is treated equally under the law. Therefore, the right to attend a public school with people of different races is a civil right because it pertains to receiving equal treatment under the law without discrimination based on race.
Following the court's decision, various measures such as freedom of choice plans and reassignments to achieve racial balance in schools were attempted. However, these were often met with challenges and resistance, reflecting the broader struggle for social equality and desegregation in the United States.