Important Court Cases

Mendez v. Westminster

1947 Some locations in California sent Mexican-American students to separate schools or buildings. CA law also REQUIRED the segregation of Chinese or Japanese students. District Court told WISD that this practice violated equal protection (14 th amendment)

Mendez v. Westminster Question: Could a state separate a race if that was not permitted by a specific state law? Decision: U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that excluding Mexican- American students violated state law, and CA then repealed all school segregation laws.

Delgado v. Bastrop ISD

1948 Until the late 1940s, the public education system in Texas for Mexican- Americans offered segregated campuses with often minimal facilities The curriculum was frequently limited to vocational training

Delgado v. Bastrop ISD Question: Could a Texas ISD legally segregate Mexican-American students? Decision: U.S. District Court said that segregation of Mexican- American students was illegal in Texas. Used as a “precedent” for Brown v. Board of Education

Hernandez v. Texas

1954 Hernandez, a cotton picker, was removed from a bar for disruption and came back with a gun and shot one Joe Espinosa to death. He was convicted before an all-white jury, and his lawyers appealed because the county excluded Mexican-American jurors. Texas argued that Hernandez was “white” and not entitled to special protection.

Hernandez v. Texas Question: Is the equal protection of the laws clause of the 14th Amendment violated when a state tries a person of a particular race or ancestry before a jury in which all persons of that race or ancestry have been excluded from serving? Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that Mexican-Americans and all other racial groups had protection under the 14th Amendment, allowing them to serve on juries

Wisconsin v. Yoder

1972 Amish families wanted to stop sending their kids to public school after 8 th grade. Amish claimed that higher education was not needed under their lifestyle, and actually endangered their salvation.

Wisconsin v. Yoder Question: Did compulsory education lawS violate the Amish’s 1 st Amendment rights? Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court said Wisconsin state law violated the Amish freedom of religion and struck it down.

White v. Regester

1973 State legislature changed district boundaries to account for population shifts. Two districts in Dallas and San Antonio had multiple members, with no real chance of minority representation.

White v. Regester Question: Could Texas discriminate by setting up multi- member districts? Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court required single-member districts in San Antonio and Dallas, so that local groups could elect their own candidates.

Edgewood ISD v Kirby

1984 Edgewood ISD claimed that the state method for funding education (property taxes) resulted in major differences in rich and poor districts.

Edgewood ISD v Kirby Question: Would Texas have to revise its method for funding public education? Decision: The U.S. Supreme Court said that Texas would have to change its method of school finance to increase funding for students in poorer school districts. The “Robin Hood” plan. Still being revised and litigated to this day.