McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Headline: Court strikes down state-imposed segregation for an admitted Black graduate student, ruling he must receive the same treatment as other students and cannot be separated by race in university classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias.
Holding:
- Stops states from imposing separate seating and dining for admitted Black graduate students.
- Requires equal access to classrooms, libraries, and cafeterias for admitted students of all races.
- Declares state-imposed segregation in graduate education unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Summary
Background
A Black man with a Master’s degree applied to the state university’s graduate program in education and was originally denied admission because of his race under Oklahoma law. After a federal court ordered the state to provide him the same opportunity other students had, the State amended its law to admit him but required segregated treatment. He was admitted yet forced to sit at separate desks in the classroom, be confined to a designated library table, and eat at a separate table and time in the cafeteria.
Reasoning
The central question was whether a state may, having admitted a student to its graduate program, treat that student differently from others solely because of race. The Court found that the state-imposed separations handicapped his ability to study, discuss ideas, and learn with classmates. Those state rules therefore deprived him of his present right to equal protection of the laws (the constitutional guarantee that people must be treated equally by the government). The Court held that once a state admits a student, it cannot impose official race-based restrictions that impair educational opportunity.
Real world impact
The decision means state-supported graduate schools cannot keep admitted students apart by race in classrooms, libraries, or cafeterias. Removing official barriers gives students the chance to earn acceptance on their merits, even if private prejudice remains. The judgment reverses the lower court’s acceptance of segregation and requires equal treatment by the State for students once admitted.
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