Is education a protected right under the United States Constitution? According to San Antonio v. Rodriguez? No
In the case of San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, the argument was whether or not unequal school funding was a direct violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
In a 5-4 decision, the Court voted that the school district was not in violation of the school district. According to a summary of the case:
"The Court refused to examine the system with strict scrutiny since there is no fundamental right to education in the Constitution and since the system did not systematically discriminate against all poor people in Texas. Given the similarities between Texas' system and those in other states, it was clear to the Court that the funding scheme was not "so irrational as to be invidiously discriminatory." Justice Powell argued that on the question of wealth and education, "the Equal Protection Clause does not require absolute equality or precisely equal advantages."
The interesting thing about the Court's decision in this case is that it was decided 19 years after Brown v. Board where the Supreme Court observed that "education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments" and held that it was a public service that "must be made available to all on equal terms."
Currently, it is not held as a fundamental right, which makes the current state of the Education system an interesting case study.
In a 5-4 decision, the Court voted that the school district was not in violation of the school district. According to a summary of the case:
"The Court refused to examine the system with strict scrutiny since there is no fundamental right to education in the Constitution and since the system did not systematically discriminate against all poor people in Texas. Given the similarities between Texas' system and those in other states, it was clear to the Court that the funding scheme was not "so irrational as to be invidiously discriminatory." Justice Powell argued that on the question of wealth and education, "the Equal Protection Clause does not require absolute equality or precisely equal advantages."
The interesting thing about the Court's decision in this case is that it was decided 19 years after Brown v. Board where the Supreme Court observed that "education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments" and held that it was a public service that "must be made available to all on equal terms."
Currently, it is not held as a fundamental right, which makes the current state of the Education system an interesting case study.