Moot Court: Brown vs. Board of Education

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       Today, the class argued the court case of Brown vs. Board of Education 1957 , a landmark case in history due to the fact that it tackles the idea of "separate but equal" laws as well as segregation. In the case of Brown vs. Board of Education, the real question was: should there be segregation of black and white children within the public school system?
Each side argued the following: 

Board of Education Side: 

• SC represented “separate but equal” in 1896
• As long as the RR companies provide separate but equal entities then the separation is legal
• No matter which way you look at it, whites are superior to blacks—integration of schools will only bring more feelings of inferiority; is it worth the integration if the feeling of inferiority don't go away?
• Integration could be detrimental to both parties—black children would fall behind and not get the attention that they need or white children wouldn't reach their full potential 
• State and local government have the right to make decisions that are ultimately what is best for the children—schooling and education isn't a “federal issue”
• “Race mixing” can cause issues in itself

Brown Arguments:

• the reality is that the schools aren't equal—black schools have lower quality of education, it isn't up to par with white schools
• Studies show that minority students learn best in mixed classroom environment 
• “reality vs. rhetoric”—separate but equal isn't true in reality 
• according to the constitution, black children are citizens of the US and should therefore receive the same benefits and treatment as white children—based on First Amendment 
• the Jim Crow laws saying that young black children must attend segregated schools is unconstitutional 
• Separating children by race can cause the “inferiority complex” 
• Separate schools act as “badges of inferiority” 

         Personally, I believe that segregation is just flat out morally incorrect. However, constitutionally speaking, the Board of Education side makes a valid point when they state that schooling isn't technically a "federal issue", therefore its the choice of the state and local governments to regulate the schooling of the children. Yet, I still believe that the side of Brown had the most valid arguments because its hard to argue with the facts. Equality was simply an ideal, however, it is a matter of reality vs. rhetoric. The unfortunate reality of the time was that the school systems designated for black children were of lower quality than those of white students. That simply shouldn't be. The 14th Amendment states that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the state where they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The 14th Amendment is difficult to argue with. Ultimately, all citizens should receive equal educational opportunities regardless of race.