Question

In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court cited the equal-protection

clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. That clause makes it
unconstitutional for any state to “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws.” In other words, states may not pass any law that treats one
person differently than it treats other people in comparable circumstances and
situations.
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• Why was the Supreme Court right to invoke the equal-protection clause in their
ruling on Brown v. Board of Education?
• School segregation was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1954, but
some states, cities, and towns protested the ruling, fighting to stall or block school
integration. In fact, public schools in America were not fully desegregated until almost
two decades later. Does this surprise you? Why, or why not? Consider what you have
learned about civil rights in America in previous lessons.

Answer 1

The Supreme Court was right to invoke the equal-protection clause in their ruling on Brown v. Board of Education for several reasons:

1. **Constitutional Mandate**: The equal-protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is a fundamental principle of American constitutional law. It ensures that all citizens are treated equally under the law, regardless of race or other characteristics.

2. **Combatting Racial Discrimination**: The case addressed a deeply entrenched form of racial discrimination - segregation in public schools based on race. By invoking the equal-protection clause, the Court took a clear stance against this discriminatory practice.

3. **Historical Context**: At the time of the Brown decision in 1954, racial segregation was a pervasive and deeply ingrained practice in many parts of the United States. The Court's ruling was a significant step towards dismantling this system of segregation.

Regarding the delayed implementation of desegregation after the Brown decision, it is unfortunately not surprising. The resistance to desegregation highlights the deeply entrenched nature of racial segregation in many parts of American society. The opposition came from various quarters, including states, cities, and communities that were resistant to change. This reflects the broader challenges faced during the Civil Rights Movement in the mid-20th century.

The process of desegregation was met with significant resistance and required further legal battles, political activism, and federal intervention to enforce. It took nearly two decades for public schools in America to be fully desegregated, which underscores the complex and protracted nature of the struggle for civil rights.

This delayed implementation serves as a reminder that legal rulings alone are not always sufficient to bring about meaningful change. It often requires sustained efforts, activism, and sometimes further legal action to ensure that the principles of equality and equal protection are upheld in practice.

Step-by-step explanation: