Brown V. Board Trial Reaction: 

The tension in the courtroom was palpable as the citizen and judge prepared to hear the case of Brown V. The Board of Education. This case is made up of 5 other cases also questioning the constitutionality of state sponsored segregation of public schools under the 14th Amendment. 

The case began in Topeka, Kansas when Oliver Brown's daughter was denied enrollment to a school close to their house, and forced to attend a school for Blacks much farther away. Brown, along with 12 other parents, filed a class action lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education. The District court ruled against Brown, citing Supreme Court precedent Plessy V. Ferguson (1896). The case went to the Supreme Court and the Browns were represented by NAACP Chief Counsel: Thurgood Marshall.

 We heard from the side of Brown who first presented a moral argument. Gabby Kusherman argued that the sperate but equal clause presented in Plessy was morally unjust and teaches our children to grow up in a society that treats people as lesser based on race. 

Next, Joshua Hill presented a religious argument against school segregation. Proverbs 14:31 claims that unjust treatment based on income, and even race insults God. It is the equivalent to saying that God made a mistake and insults the Christian idea that unity is spiritual. Christianity was not meant to divide, but to bring people together. Ruling in favor of Brown will stop this insult to religion itself and allow for Godly change in the world. 

Grace Ann McAden presented an economic argument claiming that the separation of schools both provides our students with lackluster schools and wastes tax payer money. The quality of education and well as the quantity of transportation would be better if tax payers didn't have to pay double for schools. Segregation wastes money plain and simple as well as deprives ALL students black and white, of a Blue Ribbon education. 

Brad Killian presented the legal argument, citing the 14th Amendment which guarantees equal protection under the law. "Separate but equal" is an inherently flawed and oxymoronic idea. It clearly violates the 14th amendment. Separate simply cannot be equal. Even if Black schools were as nice a white schools it would still be wrong: which they aren't. The quality of buildings, lack of supplies, and poor pay for teachers have made it fare more likely for white students to graduate high school than black students, meaning that they are by far not equal. 

We then head from the Board of Education side, staunchly fighting for segregation in schools.

First, we were told that mixing the schools would harm the white students and "slow them down" due to the lower education levels of Black students. Desegregating schools would make Blacks feel left out due to their knowledge gab, and would also lessen teaching jobs for both Blacks and whites. Slowing down the white students would harm their success in secondary school, then college, then in the workforce, which would ultimately harm the economy. 

Secondly, the Constitution has no requirement that Blacks and whites had to attend the same schools, more than that, the court had previously ruled in Plessy that schools could be separate if they were equal. The court has a responsibility to follow the precedent and stare decisis (let the decision stand).

Lucy Gray claimed that separation of schools are important for the health of both black and white students. Blacks grew up in neighborhoods with more behavioral problems and more bacteria. We keep the neighborhoods separate and should do such in the schools as well. The richer white neighborhoods, can also keep funding their schools in the proper way. Essentially, segregating schools will lessen culture shock and keep the sickness in the population under control. 

Finally, Elliot Baratta postulates that based upon the 14th and 2nd amendments, segregation in schools is constitutional. Black students are still allowed to attend school at all levels, so keeping schools separate does not hinder their opportunity, therefore under the 14th amendment privileges and immunities clause, segregating schools is not unconstitutional. 

He also claimed that similarly to the way that criminals aren't allowed to carry guns for the sake of the safety of other citizens, not allowing Blacks in white schools will make everyone safer. 

Although Baratta's legal argument was quite novel and passionate, the ruling of the court was obviously in favor of Brown, citing Mr. Killian's lucid and constitutionally based argument that the separate but equal doctrine is inherently flawed and unconstitutional according to the 14th Amendment. This decision had massive implications, not only for the Supreme court that very uncharacteristically ruled against precedent, but changed the trajectory of the Civil Rights movement forever.