The Plyler v. Doe case challenged a Texas law that allowed public schools to deny enrollment to undocumented immigrant children and withhold funding for their education. The US Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Court found that denying children an education based on their immigration status or that of their parents would harm them and society. This landmark ruling established that all children, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to equal access to a K-12 public education.

1. PLYLER V.
DOE
This court case is considered to be a Fourteenth
Amendment Landmark case

2. Plaintiff: children from the Tyler Independent School District , who were of Mexican
descent and could not establish that they had been legally admitted into the United States.
Defendant: Superintendent and the board of trustees.
Party Defendant: State of Texas

3. ◦ Proceeding the case-In 1975 the Texas State Legislature passed a law that allowed schools to deny enrollment
and block state funding of students who were not admitted to the United States legally.
Plyler v. Doe- was filed in 1977 as a class action on behalf of certain school age students who asked the court
to prevent the school district from denying them access to a free public education.

4. ◦ The District Court ruled that barring children from receiving an education violated the Fourteenth
Amendment. The Fourteenth Amendment provides protection against discrimination for illegal aliens in the
United States.
◦ The Court of Appeals affirmed this decision and the Supreme Court heard the case next.

5. Justice Brennan of the Supreme Court argued
that:
◦ children of illegal immigrants do not have the power
to change their residency status and should not be
punished for the conduct of their parents.
◦ education is the fabric of our society and children
need an education to grow up and be able to provide
for themselves economically and to contribute to
society.
◦ there is no evidence that illegal immigrants came to
the U.S. for a free education, so allowing children of
illegal immigrants into school would not add to the
influx of immigration.
◦ there is no evidence that excluding children of illegal
immigrants into school would alter the quality of
education.

6. ◦ In 1982 the Supreme Court Ruled 5-4 in favor
of the children (Plaintiff)
◦ This court case is still cited today when
advocating for protection and equal rights of
children of Mexican origin who may not be able
to verify their residency status.
◦ Children are protected under the Fourteenth
Amendment and have equal rights in the United
States, regardless of residency status.
◦ This was a landmark case and reinforced the
rights of Mexican American children to a free
and public education.

7. REFERENCES
Access To Education - Rule Of Law
https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/access-education-rule-law
Plyler V. Doe
https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/457/202
Plyler V. Doe: The Landmark Maldef Case That Changed Education in America
https://www.maldef.org/2018/12/plyler-case/