For business professionals looking to better understand the legal terms and concepts that have shaped our modern society, Plyler v. Doe (1982) is a landmark decision that deserves close attention. This Supreme Court ruling effectively struck down a state law in Texas that had imposed a tuition fee on certain undocumented immigrants, thus potentially denying them access to a public education.
The brief but contentious history of the case began in 1975 when the State of Texas enacted the Texas Education Code. Under this law, undocumented immigrants were not eligible to attend state funded public schools and those that had already enrolled were required to pay tuition fees in order to remain in school. This law affected thousands of students that had no legal status in the United States and had already enrolled in the Texas school system.
The case was brought to court by certain individuals, the Tyler Independent School District and other districts, and eventually wound its way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in a 5-to-4 decision that the Tuition Fee was unconstitutional and must be rescinded. The main argument of the majority opinion, authored by Justice Brennan, was that the Texas law denied rights to the undocumented students in question that were fundamental to their ability to fully participate in society.
To this day, Plyler v. Doe remains a landmark decision in regards to the rights of immigrants, as it established the foundation for concepts such as equal protection of individuals and collective rights for those living in the United States. As well, it serves as a reminder that the Constitution protects all individuals—whether or not they have the same legal status—from being subject to arbitrary governmental action meant to severely limit rights and opportunities.