1. Warm UP 11-28
Is the Supreme Court a vehicle for change?
In other words, do you think the Supreme Court sets the precedent ahead of the trends in the US, or just follow them?
Explain your reasoning

2. Civil Rights Cases: African Americans
How has the court handled cases about Civil Rights for African Americans in its history

3. Plessy v. Ferguson: Case
Louisiana passed the “Separate Car Act” forcing people into different train cars based on race
Homer Plessy was of mixed race (7/8 European and 1/8 African) but considered Black by Louisiana law
Convinced by his fellow activists to challenge the law under the 14th Amendment

4. Plessy v. Ferguson: Decision
Supreme Court decided 7-1 in favor of Louisiana
Majority: Said the 14th Amendment demanded that treatment be equal, so if it was equal it was ok if races were separate
Dissent: Said that no matter how rigorous the supervision, no institution would be truly equal if separated by race

5. Plessy v. Ferguson: Effects
Policy of Separate but Equal was policy in the south
It was inherently unequal
Segregation by race spreads to every level of society including schools

6. Brown v. Board of Education: Case
Linda Brown had to commute across town to the all Black school, when she lived down the street from the White school
Her school had broken down buildings, not enough desks, and textbooks over 20 years old
Her parents, and 12 others sued saying this was unconstitutional and had a detrimental effect on student learning

7. Brown v. Board of Education: Decision
Court led by Justice Hugo Black and Chief Justice Earl Warren decided 9-0 in favor of Brown
Majority: said Separate but Equal was inherently unequal and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment
Dissent: None.

8. Brown v. Board of Education: Consequences
Segregation across all aspects of society is now illegal
Schools close their doors to avoid integration
Parents resist and fight (violently) against racial integration

9. University of California v. Bakke: Case
After Brown decision Affirmative Action was instituted to make it easier for minority students who had previously been denied admission into universities to get an education and pass on the advantages that come with it
Allan Bakke was a white man who applied to medical school at the University of California Berkley on special admission but was denied
When he found out that the university held 16 of 100 seats only for minority students he sued saying it violated the EPC of the 14th Amendment

10. University of California v. Bakke: Decision
Split Decision: Justice Powell swung the decision both ways
Majority: said the policy did violate the 14th Amendment as it reserved seats based upon race and no other “major factors”
2nd Majority: said race could be one of many factors in determining admission, but not the only “major factor”

11. University of California v. Bakke: Consequences
Race is still used today for admission
The university cannot have quotas
Most use a point system and include low income background, first person in family to go to college, and extra curricular activities in addition to race

12. On Separate Paper…
Chose what you see as the most controversial case (at the time it was written) and explain why that is in a short paragraph (5 sentences minimum).

13. Why was US v. Nixon important at the time?
Summary
Why was US v. Nixon important at the time?
Why is it still important today?