Lau V Nichols Case Summary

In 1974, Non-English speaking Chinese students filed a class action suit against the San Francisco Unified School District and Alan H. Nichols. The students stated that they were immersed in all-English classes with no accommodations or resources that enabled them to become proficient in English. The Supreme Court concluded that not providing instructional support or materials for non-English students is unacceptable. Moreover, the school district was not complying with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits institutions who are receiving federal aid to discriminate a person’s characteristics such as color, race, or national origin.

A historic case in the U.S. supreme court was called the Brown vs. the Board of Education. Getting a good education is essential and we can see diverse population of students from different nationality in the classroom. However, this wasn’t always the case in the United States. Up until 1954, classrooms were very different than they are today—not allowing African American students to attend schools with white students. This was allowed because of the previous court case of 1896 of Plessy vs. Ferguson.

Ever wondered how the Civil Rights Movement came into play? Many Supreme Court cases have influenced the Civil Rights movement by making equal and unequal laws for the blacks making people fight harder for what they believed in. Cases like the Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) case, the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) case, and the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) case. All three of these cases played a big role in influencing the Civil Rights movement.

This was a landmark case in America. In 1954 the Supreme Court decided that “state laws making public schools separate for black and white students unconstitutional” (Mandell & Schram, pg. 482). This case over turned a prior case known as “Plessy v. Ferguson that allowed state-sponsored segregation in public schools” (McBride, 2006). This was acknowledged as one of the “greatest supreme court decision of the 20th century” (McBride, 2006). The court “unanimously voted that that racial segregation of children in public schools not only violated the equal protection clause but also the 14th amendment” (McBride, 2006).

Civil Rights can be most aptly defined as specific privileges possessed by an individual through citizenship that the government is obligated to protect, including the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses under the 14th Amendment. Furthermore, Civil Rights constitute an individual’s entitlement to equal treatment under the law and freedom from unjust discrimination. The Supreme Court, as the nation’s highest judicial power, should play a substantial role in protecting and expanding (when necessary) the Civil Rights of citizens in various societal institutions including education, housing, employment, voting, marriage, and public amenities. Although many would argue that the Supreme Court lacks the power and influence to enforce its landmark Civil Rights rulings (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education I & II), it none-the-less performs

The issue of affirmative action, here in the United States, is arguably one of the most controversial subjects in today’s society. This issue has also been known to be one of the least understood concepts as well, causing much debate and a divided nation. There are different opinions out there on whether affirmative action is really helping America put the past behind them when it comes to discrimination or is it simply violating American core values. What is affirmative action? Affirmative action is ‘an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination’ It ensures companies, universities and other high cooperation’s to establish programs that

Daniel Santiago Brown V. Board of Ed. Case Mr. Dolese Period 9 The Brown V. Board of Education Supreme Court Case was a major turning point in the long fight for Civil Rights. In the 1950’s, 13 parents decided to sue their local school district for breaking the Fourteenth Amendment.

Since the late 1950s, when the case for African American rights to receive the same education as their graduates began and ended, or so we thought. Schools today still remain widely segregated throughout the U.S. nation. In 1954 in Topeka, Kansas, the supreme court began to review many cases dealing with segregation in public education. Oliver Brown was one who went against the supreme court for not only his daughter, but for many other African American children to receive equal education in the ray of society. The Brown v. Board of Education case marked the end of racial discrimination in public schools which impacted African Americans to get an equal education in the American society.

I believe that education should be a right in America and that every single child here should have the equal opportunity to a quality education, without any burdening costs to their families. The 14th Amendment is supposed to ensure that this a reality in America, as it states that, “no living child in that state* [*a state that establishes a public school system] may be denied equal access to schooling”. This Amendment was ratified in 1868, and yet the fight for equal education continues to be a struggle for minorities to this day. One of the, if not the, most famous public fights against this injustice was the case Brown v. Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas.

Since the beginning of time, African-Americans have been seen as inferior, incapable, and inhumane. After the Civil Rights Movement, the issue of racism was broadcasted internationally, and people globally saw how African-Americans were treated due to the color of their skin. Once the movement was over; African-Americans would have another issue to tackle; societal advancement. History books suggest that racism was finally over after the Civil Rights Movement, but racial bias is still embedded in white society. Racism may not be as harsh, or publically displayed, but African-Americans are not advancing at the same rates as whites.