What is the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in education law?

The United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and has the power to review state and federal laws. In terms of education law, the Court has played an important role in determining the constitutionality of laws affecting public education. In particular, the Court has weighed in on issues related to the desegregation of schools, the use of public funds to support religious schools, and other matters of student rights. In the landmark 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling allowed for the desegregation of public schools across the country and served as a foundation for the civil rights movement. The Court has also ruled on the use of public funds to support religious schools. In the 2002 case Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the Supreme Court held that the use of public funds to fund educational programs located in private schools was constitutional, as long as the programs were neutral and did not advance any particular religion. In terms of student rights, the Supreme Court has ruled on a number of cases related to student speech, search and seizure, and student-on-student harassment. In Tinker v. Des Moines, the Court held that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Overall, the role of the Supreme Court in education law has been to ensure that state and federal laws related to public education adhere to the Constitution. The Court’s rulings have had a major impact on the rights of students, the desegregation of public schools, and the use of public funds to support religious schools.

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