Why do you think the court ruled as it did?
In the Plessy v. Ferguson case, the Supreme Court ruled that racially separate facilities, if equal, did not breach the constitution. According to the court, segregation was not tantamount to discrimination (Browne-Marshall, 2013). In my opinion, the court it ruled as it did for several reasons. For one, the court believed that section 1 of the 14th amendment was only applicable to political and civil rights (i.e. voting and serving on juries), and not on social rights (such as sitting in a railway vehicle one selects). Secondly, the court believed that the 14th amendment was only applicable to the imposition of slavery itself. In the Cumming v. Richmond County Board case, the court ruled that the local governments had the wide discretion in education funding, and as such, held that the federal authorities had no power to interfere with school operations (Browne-Marshall, 2013). In my opinion, the court ruled as it did because it believed that the responsibility of a local government was to set up its educational system and the manner selected by the state in the face of restricted monetary resources did not violate section 1 of the 14th Amendment.
What influences can you think of that may have motivated their decision?
In Plessy v. Ferguson, the fact that both whites and blacks were provided with equal facilities under the law and were punished equally for infringing the law may have influenced the decision made by the court. Therefore, the court viewed Plessy’s arguments to consist in the presumption that the enforced separation of blacks and whites stamped the colored race with an inferiority badge. In the Cumming v. Richmond County Board, the court’s decision was influenced by Article 8, Section 1 of the Constitution of Georgia State. This section required boards to offer a detailed system of elementary schools for English education, and to be supported by tax funds. This is why the court was of the belief that the board’s action was non-discriminatory in offering education for 300 elementary students instead of providing a high school education for 60 students.
Reference
Browne-Marshall, G. J. (2013). Race, Law, and American Society: 1607-Present. London,
England: Routledge.
CW1: Cross Cultural Management Assignment Brief
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