Which U.S. Supreme Court ruling declared that segregated public schools are unconstitutional?

• A. Plessy v. Ferguson
• B. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
• C. Dred Scott v. Sandford
• D. Roe v. Wade

Answer: (B)

Separate schooling creates unequal educational experiences and outcomes. The ruling declares that segregated public schools are unconstitutional because they deny Black students equal protection under the law. It rejects the idea that separate facilities can be truly equal, overturning the notion that “separate but equal” could apply to education. By holding that racial segregation in schools violates the Fourteenth Amendment, this decision propelled desegregation and underscored that segregation damages students’ opportunities and sense of worth. The other cases address different issues—citizenship and abortion rights—so they don’t fit the focus on public education and constitutional equality.