What is the role of the U.S. Supreme Court in education law?
The United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and holds the power to interpret and enforce constitutional law. As such, it plays a critical role in education law. The Supreme Court has the authority to decide cases involving Constitutional issues that arise in the field of education. For example, in 1954 the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and set a precedent for the rest of the nation that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also interprets legislation at the federal and state levels. For instance, the Court’s interpretation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 resulted in an expansion of special education services for disabled students. The Court interpreted the law to mean that public schools must provide students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education and must meet the needs of the individual student. Finally, the Supreme Court has the power to review the decisions of lower courts. If there is a dispute over a lower court decision, either side can appeal to the Supreme Court. The Court can then decide whether the lower court was correct in its ruling. In short, the Supreme Court holds a great deal of power in education law, as it has the final say in interpreting constitutional law, legislation, and the decisions of lower courts. While state and local courts can make decisions in the field of education, the Supreme Court is the ultimate arbiter.
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