Final answer:
Equal protection requires that states cannot draw any unreasonable distinctions between race groups, as mandated by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of equal protection refers to the legal principle that the state must treat individuals equally, without unreasonable distinctions between different groups, especially on the basis of race, sex, or ethnicity. Under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, states are prohibited from denying any person within their jurisdiction equal protection under the law. This means states cannot classify and separate individuals based on race, nor can they make any other unreasonable distinctions amongst race groups that would violate the requirement to treat all citizens equally under the law.
Answering the student's question, the correct option is:
- d. states cannot draw any unreasonable distinctions between race groups
This aligns with the intent of the Fourteenth Amendment to ensure that all individuals are provided equal legal protections, and to prevent states from implementing laws that result in discriminatory practices.