Question

read the excerpt from a supporting opinion of the supreme court’s ruling in plessy v. ferguson.

if the civil and political rights of both races be equal, one cannot be inferior to the other civilly or politically. if one race be inferior to the other socially, the constitution of the united states cannot put them upon the same plane.

how does this relate to the premises of brown v. board of education?

○ the brown case questions whether separate schools based on race inherently render one inferior to the other.
○ the brown case questions whether educators treat students differently based on their race.
○ the brown case addresses whether separate entrances and water fountains suggest that one race is inferior to another.
○ the brown case addresses whether separate schools hinder the political and intellectual potential of certain citizens.

Explanation:

The Plessy v. Ferguson excerpt accepts that social inferiority is outside federal constitutional control, upholding "separate but equal" by separating social and civil/political equality. Brown v. Board of Education challenged this by arguing that racially separate public schools inherently created a status of inferiority (contradicting the idea that separate could be equal), directly targeting the core assumption of Plessy that social inferiority was unregulated by the Constitution. The correct option aligns with this core challenge of Brown.

Answer:

The Brown case questions whether separate schools based on race inherently render one inferior to the other.