October/November 2021
SOC3703
Sociology of Education
Table of Contents
Question 1.............................................................................................................................................2
(a) Discuss the ruling by the US Supreme Court in Brown versus Board of Education.......................2
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................2
The Brown versus Board of Education lawsuit...............................................................................2
The court ruling.............................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................5
(b) Use structural functionalists’ concepts of social solidarity, value consensus, and equality of
educational opportunity to analyse the ruling in Brown versus Board of Education.........................6
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................6
The functionalist approach to the concept of equality..................................................................7
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................10
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................................11
Question 2...........................................................................................................................................12
,a. Discuss the efforts of the National Party Government’s attempts to “reform” education during
the period 1976 to 1990. (25)..........................................................................................................12
Introduction.................................................................................................................................12
History of educational reforms during the period 1976 to 1990.................................................12
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................13
b. Discuss the development and nature of South Africa’s new post-Apartheid education policy.(25)
.........................................................................................................................................................14
Introduction.................................................................................................................................14
Steps in Educational reform.............................................................................................................14
The white paper of February 1995 purpose:................................................................................14
The South African Schools Act of 1996:.......................................................................................15
The new curriculum 2005:...........................................................................................................15
South Africa’s new post-Apartheid education policy...................................................................16
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................17
Biography.........................................................................................................................................17
1
, Question 1
(a) Discuss the ruling by the US Supreme Court in Brown versus Board of
Education.
INTRODUCTION
The case of Brown versus the Board of Education was a stepping stone into a more
equal educational system. It started with a young child forced to walk a mile through
dangerous areas to get to the bus stop in order to reach a black elementary school,
because she was only allowed to go to a school for African American children,
because of her skin colour. It did not matter that there was a school just seven
blocks down from where she lived.
This was the circumstances that eight-year-old Linda Brown, an African American
third grader from Topeka, Kansas and many others had to live with, even though
there was a "white elementary school" only seven blocks away. The Brown versus
Board of Education case is seen as a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court,
that ruled that the “U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools
as unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality”
(sourced from Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 :1954). It means that
racial segregation in any school is unconstitutional, and UN ethical. As stated by
Chief Justice Earl Warren, and the Majority Opinion “To separate them from others
of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race, generates a feeling of
inferiority”. This will only lead to a child’s status in the community, it became
downgrading, as well as affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be
undone.
The Lawsuit of Brown v. Board of Education case was noteworthy for the way it lead
the way for many civil rights court case in the 20th century, setting a way for more
equal lawful standards throughout the nation (Lazear, Edward P. 777-803).
The Brown versus Board of Education lawsuit
The lawsuit started when the principal of Sumner Elementary school explained to
Reverend Oliver Brown that the school only accepted Caucasian children, even with
the knowledge that his eight-year-old daughter, Linda qualified for the school, that
she would not be admitted with the reason being the colour of her skin.
Reverend Brown and thirteen other African American families of Topeka took to the
Corte system in their plight to put an end to the harmful school segregation systems.
Reverend Oliver Brown and the other families required the help of the (NAACP)
National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. There appointed
NACCP attorney’s where Robert Carter and Jack Greenberg and Thurgood
2
SOC3703
Sociology of Education
Table of Contents
Question 1.............................................................................................................................................2
(a) Discuss the ruling by the US Supreme Court in Brown versus Board of Education.......................2
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................2
The Brown versus Board of Education lawsuit...............................................................................2
The court ruling.............................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................5
(b) Use structural functionalists’ concepts of social solidarity, value consensus, and equality of
educational opportunity to analyse the ruling in Brown versus Board of Education.........................6
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................6
The functionalist approach to the concept of equality..................................................................7
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................10
Bibliography.....................................................................................................................................11
Question 2...........................................................................................................................................12
,a. Discuss the efforts of the National Party Government’s attempts to “reform” education during
the period 1976 to 1990. (25)..........................................................................................................12
Introduction.................................................................................................................................12
History of educational reforms during the period 1976 to 1990.................................................12
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................13
b. Discuss the development and nature of South Africa’s new post-Apartheid education policy.(25)
.........................................................................................................................................................14
Introduction.................................................................................................................................14
Steps in Educational reform.............................................................................................................14
The white paper of February 1995 purpose:................................................................................14
The South African Schools Act of 1996:.......................................................................................15
The new curriculum 2005:...........................................................................................................15
South Africa’s new post-Apartheid education policy...................................................................16
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................17
Biography.........................................................................................................................................17
1
, Question 1
(a) Discuss the ruling by the US Supreme Court in Brown versus Board of
Education.
INTRODUCTION
The case of Brown versus the Board of Education was a stepping stone into a more
equal educational system. It started with a young child forced to walk a mile through
dangerous areas to get to the bus stop in order to reach a black elementary school,
because she was only allowed to go to a school for African American children,
because of her skin colour. It did not matter that there was a school just seven
blocks down from where she lived.
This was the circumstances that eight-year-old Linda Brown, an African American
third grader from Topeka, Kansas and many others had to live with, even though
there was a "white elementary school" only seven blocks away. The Brown versus
Board of Education case is seen as a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court,
that ruled that the “U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools
as unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality”
(sourced from Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 :1954). It means that
racial segregation in any school is unconstitutional, and UN ethical. As stated by
Chief Justice Earl Warren, and the Majority Opinion “To separate them from others
of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race, generates a feeling of
inferiority”. This will only lead to a child’s status in the community, it became
downgrading, as well as affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be
undone.
The Lawsuit of Brown v. Board of Education case was noteworthy for the way it lead
the way for many civil rights court case in the 20th century, setting a way for more
equal lawful standards throughout the nation (Lazear, Edward P. 777-803).
The Brown versus Board of Education lawsuit
The lawsuit started when the principal of Sumner Elementary school explained to
Reverend Oliver Brown that the school only accepted Caucasian children, even with
the knowledge that his eight-year-old daughter, Linda qualified for the school, that
she would not be admitted with the reason being the colour of her skin.
Reverend Brown and thirteen other African American families of Topeka took to the
Corte system in their plight to put an end to the harmful school segregation systems.
Reverend Oliver Brown and the other families required the help of the (NAACP)
National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. There appointed
NACCP attorney’s where Robert Carter and Jack Greenberg and Thurgood
2
