Ryan

Language and Language Development

Professor Stephanie LaQua
19 March 2015
Assignment 1A

Williams Decision and Lau V. Nichols Case

The case of Lau V Nichols was pivotal because it was the first to establish
that it was not enough just to provide the same textbooks, curriculum, teachers,
and facilities to all students. This is not equal education. If students do not have
an understanding of the language they are being taught in, then they cannot grasp
the content being taught, and therefore are not receiving an equal education.
The case was brought by the parents of 1800 Chinese students in San
Francisco, against the San Francisco Unified School District. One student in
particular was being represented, for failing in school. He was failing because he
did not understand English, and the schools at the time did not consider it the fault
of the schools if students did not have an understanding of the language being
instructed. Their part was to provide all students with the same textbooks, the
same curriculum, and teachers. The school district won the case in the lower courts
because of this reasoning.
However, in 1974 the case was brought to the United States Supreme Court.
The courts turned to the Civil Rights Act for this particular case, citing Title VI. Title
VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origins, for any
federally funded program. The courts found that students in San Francisco were in

fact being discriminated against, based on their national origin in which English
was not their first and primary language. The courts ruled in favor of the plaintiff,
unanimously. Justice William O. Douglas stated that there is no equality of
treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks,
teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are
effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. While Lau V. Nichols was a
crucial case in establishing the meaning of equality in education, in terms of
language, it did not establish a clear and concise plan for bilingual education in the
US.
The Williams case decision which was brought up in 2000 is directly related to
the Lau V Nichols case. Not only did it happen to come out of San Francisco, but it
involved equality in schools. According to the California Department of Education,
the basis of the lawsuit was that the agencies failed to provide public school
students with equal access to instructional materials, safe and decent schools
facilities, and qualified teachers (The Williams Case An Explanation). After the
Lau case was settled, it was established that all public school students had the right
to the same education, without any racial or ethnic discrimination. The Williams
case resulted in the state of CA allocating almost one billion dollars to the public
schools, to go to the funding of curriculum materials and critical repairs. The
allocations of funds not only benefit the San Francisco schools, but will also go to
other California public schools potentially.