Caleb Tyler Dr. Woods U.S. History November 2, 2014 McLaurin vs. Oklahoma State Regents Court Case Analysis In the court case of McLaurin vs. Oklahoma State Regents, the University of Oklahoma denied admission to a Negro citizen pursuing studies and courses leading to a doctorate in education solely because of his race. “Oklahoma's segregation laws were modified to permit entry but he was subject to segregated condition. The lower court held that such treatment did not violate the provisions of the U.S. Const. amend. XIV. He appealed and was granted certiorari by the U.S. Supreme Court” (U.S. Supreme Court Cases, Lawyers' Edition, Pg. 6). The act of denying this citizen his right to an equal education goes against Amendment XIV because it …show more content…
The judgment was reversed where the court found that the segregation restricted appellant's right to receive effective graduate instruction” (U.S. Supreme Court Cases, Lawyers' Edition, Pg. 6). Therefore, they began to see that there was an issue in the way that the University was treating the Negro student. “Following this decision, the Oklahoma legislature amended these statutes to permit the admission of Negroes to institutions of higher learning attended by white students, in cases where such institutions offered courses not available in the Negro schools. The amendment provided, however, that in such cases the program of instruction "shall be given at such colleges or institutions of higher education upon a segregated basis." McLaurin was thereupon admitted to the University of Oklahoma Graduate School. In apparent conformity with the amendment, his admission was made subject to "such rules and regulations as to segregation as the President of the University shall consider to afford to Mr. G. W. McLaurin substantially equal educational opportunities as are afforded to other persons seeking the same education in the Graduate College” (U.S. Supreme Court Cases, Lawyers' Edition, Pg. 6). Although McLaurin was admitted to the university, segregation still consumed him through his studies, and he could not have many of the freedoms that the other Caucasian students had. This affected not only his experience, but it is likely that he didn’t get as much educational help or attention that the other students would have received. Therefore, this put the others at an advantage over him, which is not constitutionally