Writing for a unanimous Court, Chief Justice Earl Warren held that in the field of public education, the “separate but equal” doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) has no place. Warren explained that to answer the question of if segregation of public schools was actually “separate but equal”, the Court must look past just the physical attributes of the schools and examine their impact on public education. Reviewing the history of the Fourteenth Amendment, Warren found it to be inconclusive to answering the constitutional question at hand and instead explained that the Court “must consider public education in the light of its full development and its present place in American life throughout the Nation.”

The Court’s previous holding McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents (1950) established that a black student at a white graduate school must be treated the same as other students. Referencing this decision, Warren asserted that “[s]uch considerations apply with added force” when it comes to public grade and high schools. Examining the impact of segregation in public education on students, Warren held that “[t]o separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone.” Ultimately, Warren held that segregation in public schools is “inherently unequal” and has no place in public education.