Final answer:
In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson. The court's reasoning was that segregated schools could never be equal and caused harm by fostering a sense of inferiority among African American children.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court's argument in Brown v. Board of Education centered around the principle that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." This 1954 landmark decision overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson, particularly as it pertained to public education.
The unanimous ruling declared that segregated schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court's reasoning was based on evidence that segregation instilled a sense of inferiority among African American children, which significantly impeded their education.
This acknowledgement alongside the notion that equality in education could not be achieved through segregation led to the striking down of de jure segregation in public schools.
Evaluation of the Court's Reasoning
The Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education was a pivotal moment in the fight against racial segregation. By citing that the psychological effects of segregation on African American children contributed to a sense of inferiority, which affected their ability to learn, the court utilized both legal and social science insights.
The decision effectively recognized that discrimination in education devalued the integrity and potential of African American students and, thus, was unconstitutional.