Question

What is most likely the speaker's reason to open with this?

In approaching this problem, we cannot turn the clock back to 1868, when the
[Fourteenth] Amendment was adopted, or even to 1896, when Plessy v.
Ferguson was written. We must consider public education in the light of its full
development and its present place in American life throughout the Nation. Only
in this way can it be determined if segregation in public schools deprives these
plaintiffs of the equal protection of the laws.
O A. The speaker is guided by Plessy v. Ferguson.
O B. The speaker advocates for a modern interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
C. The speaker is not sure if education should be privatized.
D. The speaker believes that public education should be segregated.

Answer 1

The speaker is likely advocating for a modern interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in the context of current public education, to determine if segregation deprives students of equal protection.

Step-by-step explanation:

The speaker's opening statement suggests that they are advocating for a modern interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, which pertains to equal protection under the law and is relevant to cases of segregation in public schools. This is evidenced by the acknowledgment that we cannot go back in time to when the Amendment was adopted or when Plessy v. Ferguson set the precedent for segregation. Instead, the speaker emphasizes the importance of considering the current state of public education and its role in the nation to determine if segregation deprives students of equal protection.

Answer 2

B. The speaker advocates for a modern interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fourteenth amendment of the constitution (1868) proposed equal rights and protections for all persons, born and naturalized in the United States. If any person was to be punished for any reason, the due process of the law must be adequately followed.

The speaker in the above excerpt is thus saying that while they could not move back to 1868, they had to consider presently what was happening in public schools and if they violated the constitutional requirement not to engage in segregation of any kind.