-
Colonial Period (1600's)
During this time, education was very private and parents, priests, etc. would only teach children at home. Education at this time was mostly about Christian values such as spelling and grammar. -
First Colonial Public School
Colonists quickly realized that teaching children how to read and write would not benefit them much. Therefore, they hired a schoolmaster to teach and nurture the children. Along with the Boston Latin Grammar School opening, Harvard College opened the same year. -
Old Deluder Satan Act
Massachusetts General Court passed the first education law. It required parents to make sure that their children could read and understand "the principles of religion and the laws of the Commonwealth." Families just had to make provisions on how they provided instruction in reading and writing. For other families in the communities, grammar schools had to be available in order to prep boys for Harvard. -
Thomas Jefferson Proposes Two Track Educational System
With this in mind, it was for those in the laboring and the learned as Thomas said. This contributed to class divisions that let already richer people get better education and therefore better job opportunities - a trend that more or less continues to this day. -
Free Public Education For The Poor!
In 1790, Pennsylvania called for free education. However, it was only for the poor. The wealthy families still had to say for their children's education. -
Massachusetts First Education Law
In 1851, Massachusetts passed it's first law. It stated that children of poor immigrants get educated. -
African Americans and Public Education
From 1865 to 1877, African Americans had the right to free public education. This was for those in the South. -
Plessy VS. Ferguson
The Plessy VS. Ferguson case took place in 1892, and it involved an African American train passenger; known as Homer Plessy. Homer Plessy refused to sit in a car for people of color. Plessy felt violated and felt that his constitutional rights were violated. As a result, the Supreme Court's decision that they had a right to require separate but equal railroad cars for blacks and whites. Their decision resulted in the federal gov't recognizing separation as legal. -
Brown VS. Board of Education, Topeka
The Brown VS. Board of Education took place in 1954. The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. After years and years, they realized that it was not equal and finally they abolished it. On May 17, 1954 Warren wrote that separate but equal has no place,” as segregated schools are inherently unequal. As a result, the Court ruled that the plaintiffs were being “deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.” -
Tinker VS. Des Moines
In 1965, the Tinker VS. Des Moines case took place. Five students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War to school. The Tinkers and their friend were removed from school when they failed to comply, but the Supreme Court ruled that their actions were protected by the First Amendment. The court decided held that the First Amendment applied to public schools, and that administrators would have to demonstrate constitutionally valid reasons for any specific regulation of speech in the class. -
Title IX
In 1972, President Nixon signed the Title IX. This act was passed to end discrimination in various fields based on race, color, religion, sex, etc.. It states that, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." So a female and a male should be treated equally. -
Education of All Handicapped Children Act
Education of all Handicapped Children Act was passed in 1975 by the United States Congress. All public schools that were receiving public funds were required to provide equal access to education and a free meal once a day for children with physical and mental disabilities. The law ensured special ed services were available to them, decisions were fair, to establish specific management and auditing requirements for special education and provide federal funds for these children. -
Plyer Vs. Doe
In 1975, the Texas Legislature revised its education laws to deny enrollment in their public schools to and withhold any state funds for the education of children who were not "legally admitted" to the country. By June of 1982, the Supreme Court issued this Plyer Vs. Doe, a decision that states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education based on their immigration status. The courts decision was based on the 14th Amendment. No state shall deny to any person its jurisdiction. -
New Jersey VS. T.L.O.
In 1985, a teacher at a high school in New Jersey caught a student smoking in the bathroom. As a result, she was taken to the assistant vice principal for questioning, she denied that she had been smoking and claimed that she did not smoke at all, he demanded to see her purse. After declining she smokes, she finally gave up her purse and they found the drugs. A search warrant requirement does not apply to public school officials the 14 Amendment essential requirement that searches be reasonable. -
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris
This case took place in early 2000's. This would help the cost of tuition at private, religious affiliated schools. Ohio's Pilot Project Scholarship Program provides tuition aid in the form of vouchers for participating public or private schools of their parent's choosing. Both religious and nonreligious schools in the district may participate. The Supreme Court rejected the First Amendment challenges to the program and stated that such aid does not violate the Establishment Clause.
