SEPARATE BUT EQUAL

A doctrine under which the equality of treatment is accorded when the races are provided substantially equal facilities, even though these facilities are separate. Although the doctrine has not been per se eliminated from American jurisprudence, its application to most aspects of society has been found to violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The violation is not so much directed toward the physical aspects of separate facilities, but rather the intangible harm that results from the segregation that is a by-product of the doctrine. For example, the Supreme Court has found that the mere segregation of minority and white students in public education creates a sense of inferiority that significantly impedes the educational and mental development of minority children. Source: Barron's Dictionary of Legal Terms, Steven H. Gifis, 5th Edition; © 2016