SWANN V. CHARLOTTE MECK BOARD OF ED
Year: 1971
Result: 9:0, favor Charlotte Meck Board of Ed
Related Constitutional issue/amendment: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights or Civil Liberties: Rights
Significance/Precedent: The busing strategy, implemented by federal district courts, helped integrate public schools. Brown v. Board's ruling of desegregation wasn't enough to diversify public schools, especially in the South, so the implementation of busing helped forcefully integrate schools to ensure that schools met racial quotas.
Quote from majority opinion: "Assignment of children to the school nearest their home serving their grade would not effectively dismantle the dual school system is supported by the record, and the remedial technique of requiring bus transportation as a tool of school desegregation was within that court's power to provide equitable relief. An objection to transportation of students may have validity when the time or distance of travel is so great as to risk either the health of the children or significantly impinge on the educational process; limits on travel time will vary with many factors, but probably with none more than the age of the students."
6-word summary: district courts integrate schools via busing
Result: 9:0, favor Charlotte Meck Board of Ed
Related Constitutional issue/amendment: Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights or Civil Liberties: Rights
Significance/Precedent: The busing strategy, implemented by federal district courts, helped integrate public schools. Brown v. Board's ruling of desegregation wasn't enough to diversify public schools, especially in the South, so the implementation of busing helped forcefully integrate schools to ensure that schools met racial quotas.
Quote from majority opinion: "Assignment of children to the school nearest their home serving their grade would not effectively dismantle the dual school system is supported by the record, and the remedial technique of requiring bus transportation as a tool of school desegregation was within that court's power to provide equitable relief. An objection to transportation of students may have validity when the time or distance of travel is so great as to risk either the health of the children or significantly impinge on the educational process; limits on travel time will vary with many factors, but probably with none more than the age of the students."
6-word summary: district courts integrate schools via busing