The 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision was overturned by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. The effects of the Brown decision were far-reaching, though much work remains to be done in establishing equality of educational opportunity. Explain the basic nature of each decision, and tell how the Brown decision affected U.S. education

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER: Suggested answer: Plessy v. Fergusonsaid that operating separate facilities for members of different ethnic groups was not inherently unconstitutional as long as the facilities were equal. The Brown decision said that separate facilities could not help being unequal and that operating separate school systems for black students ensured their unequal treatment for a variety of reasons. As a result of Brown,school districts all over the country were obliged to come up with plans to desegregate school populations and to demonstrate equality of treatment. A common strategy was to bus black students to white schools. The problem of ensuring equality of educational opportunity has not yet been solved.