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Old Deluder Satan Act in 1647
Puritans strongly believed that everyone should be able to read and understand the Bible. In 1647, the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony orders that every town of fifty families should have an elementary school and that every town of 100 families should have a Latin school. This act helped laid the basis of public schools in America. Many children were able to learn how to read the Bible. This act also gave children the opportunity to get information about their Calvinist religion. -
1817 System of Free Public Primary Schools
In 1817, there was a petition in the Boston Town Meeting to establish a system of free public primary schools. Local merchants, businessmen and wealthier artisans were the main supporters. The people that opposed were the wage earners. They opposed because they did not want to pay taxes. This petition was going to help many children get access to public primary education. -
First Public High School
It was the English Classical School. It had more than 100 male students. This school was located in Boston, Massachusetts. By 1870, more than 500 high schools were opened in the United States. -
Free Public Schools for All Children 1827
Massachusetts passed a law making all grades of public school open to all free of charge. This law required all towns with 500 more families to have a public schools open to all students. It allowed more children the opportunity to have an education. It helped many families financially since it was free. -
First Reform School
This school was for children who refused to attend public schools and this is where they were sent. It was called "Massachusetts Reform School" at Westboro. This school began the tradition of reform schools. It was what helped combined education and the juvenile system together. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Apr 13, 1896 – May 18, 1896
“Separate but equal” was a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1896.
It established constitutional racial segregation. States could legally separate white and black people. Black and whites were separated for everything. What this meant for students was that they were separate from everything to the point that blacks and whites couldn’t even drink water from the same fountain. -
Brown v. the Board of Education
The event that lead up to this case was when Linda Brown was denied entrance to an all-white elementary school. The father filed a class- action suit again the Board of Education. He argued that black children were not being treated equally in schools and how this violated the 14th amendment. It ruled how in public education racial segregation was unconstitutional. U.S. Supreme Court ruled that children were being denied of equal protection of the laws. -
Title IX
Before title IX was passed, women were being excluded and discriminated from educational programs because of their sex in the 1970s. Women were facing a lot of inequalities and that was one of them. Title IX provides that no person in the U.S. on the basis of their sex be excluded or denied to any educational program or activity. Provides women with equal resources and opportunities in sports. -
Education of all Handicapped Children Act
This act requires all public schools to provide children with disabilities with the right services. This benefits special education since children are given the right education and resources. The students even get an Individualized education program (IEP) which provides all the right services for each individual. Funds are also granted to states with special education programs that comply with federal guidelines. -
Plyler v. Doe
Landmark decision by Supreme Court stating that states can't constitutionally deny students a free public education because of their immigration status. This ensures equal access to education for all students. Plyler v. Doe was decided because of the 14th amendment. Every individual has a right to an education and equal rights. -
California Proposition 20
This stated that the state could not discriminate against or grant preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. It outlaws affirmative action in public employment, public contracting and public education. This affected universities in the way that they were struggling to raise their diversity numbers. Many students wanted this proposition to be repeal. -
Board of Education of Independent School District #92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls
Supreme Court held that random drug tests of student athletes do not violate the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures. After this, many schools began to require drug tests. This helped schools see what student athletes needed help. This affects many students that decide to do drugs and then realize that they can't play sports. -
Grutter v. Bollinger
The Grutter case involved a lawsuit against the admission process at the University of Michigan's Law School. Grutter argued that her rights were violated when the University's attempt to gain a diverse student body resulted in the denial of her admission's application. Students were supporting diversity and didn't want for this to make segregation happen again. The Supreme Court disagreed and held that institutions of higher education have a legitimate interest in promoting diversity.