Final answer:
California's appeal in the Acevedo case succeeded because the practice of segregating children by national origins had no basis in state educational laws, avoiding the constitutional question and focusing on a narrower legal issue.
Step-by-step explanation:
California's Appeal in the Acevedo Case
The reason California's appeal in the Acevedo case was successful revolved around the interpretation of state law rather than constitutional grounds. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that separating children in schools based on national origins had no support in the educational laws of California. Since the state legislation made no provision for segregation based on national origin, the practice could not be legally upheld. The appeal was successful because the court narrowly focused on state law, avoiding a broader constitutional ruling regarding the Fourteenth Amendment. This is similar to other California cases where courts have had to navigate state versus federal law, for example, the controversy over Proposition 187, which was challenged and found to be pre-empted by federal immigration laws.
Significance of the Case
Mendez v. Westminster, referenced as Figure 8.3.17, was a related landmark case that contributed to overturning segregation for Hispanic children in California's public schools and laid groundwork for the Acevedo case.