Which Supreme Court decision overturned the doctrine of 'separate but equal' in public education?

Which Supreme Court decision overturned the doctrine of 'separate but equal' in public education?

• A. Brown v. Board of Education.
• B. Plessy v. Ferguson.
• C. Roe v. Wade.
• D. Dred Scott v. Sandford.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how the Court treats segregation in schools under the Equal Protection Clause. Brown v. Board of Education held that segregated public schools are inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional. This decision rejected the long-standing “separate but equal” standard that had allowed racial separation in many public facilities since Plessy v. Ferguson, showing that even if facilities were ostensibly equal, separating students by race undermines true equality and harms Black children's education. It marked a turning point by requiring desegregation to move toward genuine equal protection under the law, with Brown II later guiding how quickly desegregation should proceed. The other cases deal with different issues—Roe v. Wade on abortion rights, Dred Scott v. Sandford on citizenship and slavery, and Plessy v. Ferguson being the earlier ruling that Brown overturned in the context of education.

The key idea here is how the Court treats segregation in schools under the Equal Protection Clause. Brown v. Board of Education held that segregated public schools are inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional. This decision rejected the long-standing “separate but equal” standard that had allowed racial separation in many public facilities since Plessy v. Ferguson, showing that even if facilities were ostensibly equal, separating students by race undermines true equality and harms Black children's education. It marked a turning point by requiring desegregation to move toward genuine equal protection under the law, with Brown II later guiding how quickly desegregation should proceed. The other cases deal with different issues—Roe v. Wade on abortion rights, Dred Scott v. Sandford on citizenship and slavery, and Plessy v. Ferguson being the earlier ruling that Brown overturned in the context of education.