Legal Case Brief Sample – Education for the Colored

Case Name:
Education for the Colored

Facts:
Black children were not being given equal rights in public schools merely due to the color of their skins. These schools were only attended by white children due to the laws of State segregation in Alabama where they lived. Due to this, it was seen that the black children had low levels of motivation and were prey to inferiority complex. They wanted to get admission in these schools but they weren’t allowed, simply due to the color of their skin. The black people argued that they wanted a good standard of education for their children, which they would never get in these black schools.

Issues:
If the Fourteenth Amendment allowed the “separate but equal” doctrine of if the environment of education was the same for the black as for the white.

Holding:
The “separate but equal” doctrine was not in accordance with the procedural rules and the white children were told to get admission in these very white public schools if they had done so before and were not given admission.

Rationale:
The court was of the view that the doctrine of “separate but equal” was not equal in any possible way. Ever since the Fourteenth Amendment had come, education had changed a great deal. This means that the meaning that was understood in “Plessy v. Ferguson” was not valid anymore. This kind of segregation has a really detrimental effect on the minds of these young children who feel that they are inferior to their white-skinned counterparts. Not only does that affect their mental state, but it also limits their abilities as citizens of equal rights. This is exactly what the Fourteenth Amendment was about. So in conclusion, black children should not be denied admission in these public schools, simply on the basis of their skin color. The decision of admission should be based solely on merit. After this was decided, the court overturned the case of “Plessy v. Ferguson.”

Dissenting/Concurring Opinions:
None