Final answer:
The assertion that U.S. education has not been racially divided is false. Segregated schools and unequal educational systems were common throughout American history, including both the North and South. Even after legal segregation ended, the long-term effects of these policies continue to affect educational equality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that education in the U.S. has not been divided racially is false. Historically, there has been significant racial segregation in education across the United States. This can be seen in the existence of 'colored schools' in various towns, including those in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois. Additionally, the Fourteenth Amendment did not clarify whether states could establish segregated educational systems, leading to de facto and de jure segregation. Most importantly, the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which took place in Topeka, Kansas, was a direct challenge to the legality of racial segregation in schools. Segregation extended to faculty, with black schools often having teachers with less full-time teaching experience than those in white schools. The curriculum also frequently neglected the perspectives and contributions of African Americans.
Although some states attempted to equalize the education system, and the federal government eventually intervened to promote equality and access, the division between black and white education was significant. This division was not exclusive to the South; Northern and Western communities also maintained segregated schooling. Even today, educational inequality persists as a consequence of historical and ongoing societal disparities.