2: The Constitution's 14th Amendment
- Page ID
- 231649
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Engage the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution in this learning module as it became the foundation for anti-discrimination, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) legislation.
Ratified right after the Civil War (1860-1865), the 14th Amendment presents three main clauses:
Equal Protection 
Citizenship, and
Due Process.
Initially sought to establish fundamental rights and equal legal protection for former slaves, these three clauses subsequently became important touchstones for civil rights law.
Let’s look at each clause in some detail:
1. The Equal Protection Clause, prohibits states from denying to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Aside from playing a significant role in the abolition of legal segregation, it has served as the foundation for significant Supreme Court rulings like Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which helped end legal discrimination and segregation in schools, by maintaining that separate can never be truly equal.
Later, the amendment became the basis for affirmative action laws, seeking to alleviate past injustices in the workplace and in education. Today, its interpretation is still hotly contested: some think that it is proactive in establishing equity (such as in race-conscious higher education admissions) while others think that it can lead to reverse discrimination. For an example of the latter, review the Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023), and for an example of the former, see United States v. Virginia (1996), which combated gender discrimination.
2. The Citizenship Clause declares that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States. Over the two plus centuries that we have been a nation, this clause has helped grow our society and make it one of the most diverse on the planet. In recent years, though, the guarantee of birthright citizenship has been contested, especially that of children of undocumented immigrants, even if they were born in the United States. Decrying them as "anchor babies," right-wing ideologues are currently seeking to withdraw their citizenship and erase this clause's protection.
3. The Due Process Clause (also found in the 5th Amendment) is an equally important safeguard of civil liberties, yet equally contested. Prohibiting states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law, it requires that all people's legal rights be respected and not arbitrarily denied or altered based on prejudices. What do you think: has due process historically applied to all Americans equally? Whatever your answer, the overall trend today is negative. Increasingly, people find themselves falling through the cracks, not receiving the legal treatment Due Process is to guarantee in the Constitution.
In the readings to follow, our class activity, and your homework assignment, analyze and evaluate 14th Amendment protections more deeply, and critically assess what needs to be done to maintain them for us all.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Explain the historical context and original intent behind the 14th Amendment.
- Analyze the Supreme Court decisions which have interpreted the amendment.
- Evaluate the amendment's current impact on civil rights matters.
- Assess present-day obstacles and disputes regarding equal protection and due process.
- Demonstrate knowledge by applying it to real-life situations through critical thinking and reflection.