The decision of whether the Fourteenth Amendment makes "separate but equal" schools unconstitutional, reduces down to the question: does a segregated school system conform to one's ideal of equality?

A Merriam family and teacher fought segregation in schools, challenging inequality years before Brown v. Board.

The ruling in Plessy v Ferguson was the start of the ‘separate-but-equal’ principle. This led to more segregation on transportation, in entertainment venues, in factories and at other places ...