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Massachusetts Bay Colony Educational Mandate
In 1647, the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony issued a mandate stipulating that each town with fifty families must establish an elementary school, and those with a hundred families should have a Latin school. The primary objective was to guarantee that children in Puritan communities could read the Bible and acquire fundamental knowledge of their Calvinist faith through formal education. -
Survey of The Northwest Territory
Before the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the Continental Congress passed a law directing a survey of the "Northwest Territory," encompassing the future state of Ohio. This legislation established "townships," allocating a portion of each for local schools. However, it's important to note that in the process of creating these townships, the Continental Congress presumed the authority to distribute or sell land already inhabited by Native people. -
Formation of the New York Public School Society
In 1805, affluent businessmen established the New York Public School Society aiming to offer education to underprivileged children. The schools operated based on the "Lancasterian" model, where a single "master" could instruct numerous students in a shared space. These schools prioritized qualities of discipline and obedience, aligning with the attributes sought by factory owners in their workforce -
Horace Mann and the Massachusetts State Board of Education
Horace Mann assumes leadership of the recently established Massachusetts State Board of Education. Recognizing the significance of a state board of education for industrialists, major industrialist Edmund Dwight deems it crucial and offers to enhance the state salary with additional funds from his own resources. -
Public Schools for African Americans in the South
Between 1865 and 1877, African Americans actively worked to introduce public education in the Southern United States for the first time. A notable achievement is the unprecedented rewriting of state constitutions to ensure free public education. However, in practice, the benefits of these changes tend to favor white children over their Black counterparts. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark Supreme Court in which an African-American named Homer Plessy challenged a Louisiana law that required black and white railroad passengers to ride in separate trains. Court ruled that separate facilities did not violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment as long as they were equal. For several decades, this decision legitimized racial segregation until Brown v. Board of Education overturned it. -
NAACP Addresses Equal Pay for Black Teachers
The NAACP initiates legal actions addressing disparities in teachers' salaries between Black and white educators in Southern states. Concurrently, Southern states acknowledge the migration of African American labor to northern cities. Faced with these dual pressures, some Southern states respond by allocating increased funds for Black schools. -
Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka
In 1954, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring state laws promoting racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The unanimous ruling rejected the "separate but equal" principle from the Plessy v. Ferguson case, asserting that segregated educational facilities were intrinsically unequal. This pivotal verdict significantly contributed to the civil rights movement. -
Title IX
Title IX, not linked to a particular case, pertains to a segment of the Education Amendments of 1972. This provision prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. Title IX has played a pivotal role in advancing gender equality within education, guaranteeing equal opportunities for both male and female students across sports, academics, and other educational pursuits. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act sought to guarantee that children with disabilities obtain a free and suitable public education (FAPE) customized to their specific requirements. It required the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities and underscored the significance of delivering education in the least restrictive environment. -
Plyler v. Doe
Plyler v. Doe dealt with the legality of a Texas law denying free public education to undocumented immigrant children. The Supreme Court determined that the state's effort to deny education to these children violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The decision underscored that children of undocumented immigrants possess the right to receive a public education, emphasizing the significance of equal protection under the law. -
Proposition 209
California takes a regressive step by approving Proposition 209, prohibiting affirmative action in public employment, public contracting, and public education. Following this lead, several other states adopt similar initiatives, and conservative factions aim to push comparable legislation at the federal level.