"Like going for a swim in a cement overcoat"

So, the first fifty years of the 1900s were pretty busy as far as education. Well, in the next thirty years, even more stuff started happening. One of the biggest issues facing the nation's schools at the start of the 50s was the overwhelming amount of segregation allowed by law. In 1950, seventeen states required segregation BY LAW. Black students attended all black schools taught by all black teachers. These teachers were more qualified than the white teachers, but it is hard to teach to your full potential when you are using second or third rate materials. Because of this imbalance, black students were at an unfair disadvantage. Some parents recognized this and sought to enroll their children in white schools. This is where the famed Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka comes in. In 1954, Earl Warren announced the ban on segregation in public schools in America. While this decision was appeased, it was not upheld in full. Students attended the same schools, but were on different sports teams, clubs, and organizations. Lyndon B. Johnson, however, came in and said, "Hey... cut it out!" and put a ban on all discrimination with the Civil Rights Act.
While all this was happening, in the background was the struggle for Mexican American students. In school, these students were denied the rights to their culture; most importantly through banning the use of the Spanish language. Students that used little English in the home were being expected to learn in completely English classrooms. This obviously didn't go well. Eventually because of the struggle of the students that cared enough to seek a better education, Bilingual Education became allowed in schools. Students of different nationalities were finally able to recognize their heritage as well as learn with greater ease with their peers.
Finally, one of the largest outrages for communities at this time was when girl students wanted to play sports. Imagine that! GIRLS playing SPORTS! Girls weren't allowed to have teams of sports unless they were cheerleaders. Even when girls were allowed to "participate" it was either on a club sport level devoid of competition (and sometimes skill) or among male teams where risk of harassment, injury, and unfair treatment was increased. Finally, due, once again to outspoken students, Title 9 was passed, making a law announcing that for each male sport team there must be a female sports team.
Throughout these thirty years, the term equality came under much scrutiny. If we must treat our students with equality, how can we treat them differently at the same time? We must understand, and continue to understand that "Fair isn't Always Equal" to borrow from a book. When we give students an education, it must be the best education we can give each student. That might mean teaching in a different language, making decisions about where we place our schools, or making a separate team for females to play on. As long as we continue to remember that each student deserves our best, we will be successful in this.