Which 1950 Supreme Court case ruled that the separate facilities in professional schools were inherently unequal, violating the 14th Amendment?

Which 1950 Supreme Court case ruled that the separate facilities in professional schools were inherently unequal, violating the 14th Amendment?

• A. Meyer v. Nebraska
• B. Sweatt v. Painter
• C. Plessy v. Ferguson
• D. Brown v. Board of Education

Answer: (B)

This question tests understanding of how the Supreme Court began to erode the separate-but-equal standard in education by focusing on real equality of opportunity in higher education. Sweatt v. Painter held that segregated professional schools could not provide true equality under the 14th Amendment. Herman Sweatt was denied admission to the University of Texas Law School because of his race, and Texas tried to replace him with a separate Black law school. The Court found that this separate institution lacked the same resources, faculty, and prestige, so it did not offer an equal educational opportunity. Because the separation denied Sweatt real access to the same quality of education, it violated equal protection. This decision challenged the superficial idea of equality and emphasized actual, functional equality in opportunities, foreshadowing Brown v. Board of Education, which extended the principle to public schools. The other options don’t fit: Plessy v. Ferguson established “separate but equal” in general, Meyer v. Nebraska dealt with language instruction, and Brown v. Board of Education came later and addressed public schools broadly.

This question tests understanding of how the Supreme Court began to erode the separate-but-equal standard in education by focusing on real equality of opportunity in higher education. Sweatt v. Painter held that segregated professional schools could not provide true equality under the 14th Amendment. Herman Sweatt was denied admission to the University of Texas Law School because of his race, and Texas tried to replace him with a separate Black law school. The Court found that this separate institution lacked the same resources, faculty, and prestige, so it did not offer an equal educational opportunity. Because the separation denied Sweatt real access to the same quality of education, it violated equal protection. This decision challenged the superficial idea of equality and emphasized actual, functional equality in opportunities, foreshadowing Brown v. Board of Education, which extended the principle to public schools. The other options don’t fit: Plessy v. Ferguson established “separate but equal” in general, Meyer v. Nebraska dealt with language instruction, and Brown v. Board of Education came later and addressed public schools broadly.