Introduction
The issue of racial segregation was raised in many social sectors of the USA of the 20th century. In the field of education, the ban on co-education of white and black children had been in force for many decades, and one of the turning points that became the driver of repealing this inhuman law was the case called Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (United States, Supreme Court). The decision adopted by the Supreme Court was a significant step in the fight against racial prejudices and allowed solving many problems caused by the discontent of the black population of the United States. The legacy of this case was the expansion of the rights and freedoms of those citizens who had been segregated for a long time; however, some manifestations of unfairness remained and developed due to new schooling conditions.
Case Background
In the era when the case in question took place, the problem of unfairness in schooling was a significant social gap. The endorsement of racial segregation exacerbated relations between the white and black populations. According to Turner, one of the reasons why Mr. Brown filed a class-action lawsuit to grant equal rights in schooling was seeking to draw attention to distorted values ​​under the influence of racist policies approved by the state (217).
In the formal case, judicial precedents are mentioned, and Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka could be another pointless hearing (United States, Supreme Court). In particular, the Fourteenth Amendment mentioned in the case allowed separating students by race, provided that the conditions of schooling were equal and did not impede free education (United States, Supreme Court). However, the plaintiff was able to prove that segregation was an illegal phenomenon and contrary to human rights a priori. This was the occasion for considering the case at the highest level.
The practice of students’ racial separation, which existed before the final verdict in the case in question, was widespread in the overwhelming majority of the states of the country. At the same time, as Sealey-Ruiz and Lewis note, until 1954, the number of black educators was significantly larger than after, and black students’ academic results were higher (187). This may be due to the unique educational environment that was maintained in educational institutions of this type and helped all interested persons to focus on the learning process.
However, since the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the number of black educators began to fall, which became a common trend across the country (United States, Supreme Court). The plaintiffs, who signed a collective appeal to the court, aimed to provide equal rights because, despite the government’s position on the identical quality of education, the black community believed that racial segregation was associated with lower quality of education and the lack of social protection for all involved. As a result, the lawsuit was approved, and racial segregation was banned legally, although this decision provoked open disapproval in several states.
Fairness of the Decision
From a moral point of view, the fairness of the decision in the considered case was objective. Turner states that unequal schooling entailed not only social but also financial issues, which were expressed in the unfair financing of schools for black youth and the provision of insufficient funds to unlock children’s academic potential (218). Despite the fact that the authentic educational environment in such institutions facilitated productive interaction between teachers and children, the inequality promoted in society put pressure on the black community.
The principle of equal access to identical training, which was achieved after the hearing of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, became a significant stage in the development of American society and set a course to eliminate manifestations of racism in all the spheres of life (United States, Supreme Court). As a result, fundamentally new conditions for interaction among citizens advanced, and a significant social gap was overcome.
The previously existing conditions of the Fourteenth Amendment that de jure did not contradict racial segregation were revised and interpreted from an objective standpoint. According to Turner, equality promoted by black activists made it possible to remove a number of obstacles that created various challenges for both parents and children (227). The possibility of joint education, which opened after the abolition of segregation, allowed many young people to gain greater opportunities for further individual and professional growth by obtaining a better educational background.
As Sealey-Ruiz and Lewis argue, the case in question was to stimulate not only the educational community to change the mode of service provision but also policymakers in order to draw attention to numerous issues (189). Thus, the legal results of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka were associated with different aspects of social development, and a number of new freedoms were ensured due to intervention in this topic (United States, Supreme Court). Therefore, the objectivity and fairness of the decision made were reasonable and justified.
Despite the fact that the case of 1954 concerned only school education, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka gave impetus to the common struggle for equality in various social sectors (United States, Supreme Court). Sealey-Ruiz and Lewis state that more suburban areas were populated, which allowed constructing more schools (188). The Fourteenth Amendment, which was considered legitimate previously, was revised in favor of citizens’ equality. Thus, the case under consideration was a turning point on the road to building a democratic American society.
Unfairness of New Conditions
Since the elimination of inequality in school education was achieved, the further development of the educational industry went to a new stage. Today, according to Sealey-Ruiz and Lewis, African American students can receive qualified teaching services and rely on the understanding of their needs (188). However, as the authors state, there are “persistent achievement disparities between Black students and their peers from other ethnic groups” (Sealey-Ruiz and Lewis 187).
This is a consequence of different levels of education and is expressed in lower academic outcomes among African American children. Another manifestation of unfairness, as Sealey-Ruiz and Lewis argue, is minimal access to advanced learning conditions, in particular, gifted programs (188). Therefore, the new schooling regime cannot be regarded as entirely favorable for the African American community.
As an unfair legacy of the case in question, one can also note cultural changes. Turner remarks that post-segregation time was characterized by a shift in social norms, which affected the quality of school education (226). In addition, the author states that, although the law influenced other areas of life indirectly, the difficulties of interaction between the black and white populations persisted due to the dissatisfaction of many citizens with the outcomes of the decision (Turner 227). Therefore, when evaluating the results of the decision, one should take into account some negative consequences.
Conclusion
The expansion of the rights and freedoms of the segregated African American population was the legacy of the case under consideration, although some ambiguous issues and challenges manifested themselves after the change in the legislation. The fairness of the decision taken by the Supreme Court was justified by the principles of equality and democracy. As a result, the rules of schooling were changed, but the problems of interaction between black and white populations persisted, and some educational challenges were identified, including the lack of access for African American students to gifted programs, academic disparities, and a shift in social norms.
Works Cited
Sealey-Ruiz, Yolanda, and Chance W. Lewis. “Guest Editorial: Transforming the Field of Education to Serve the Needs of the Black Community: Implications for Critical Stakeholders.” The Journal of Negro Education, vol. 80, no. 3, 2011, pp. 187-190.
Turner, Kara Miles. ““Getting It Straight:” Southern Black School Patrons and the Struggle for Equal Education in the Pre- and Post-Civil Rights Eras.” Journal of Negro Education, vol. 72, no. 2, 2003, pp. 217-229.
United States, Supreme Court. Brown v. Board of Education. 1954. Legal Information Institute, Cornell U Law School. Web.