Impact of Brown v. Board of Education on Equal Protection

In the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court addressed the issue of racial segregation in public schools. The Court ultimately ruled that racial segregation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision was pivotal in the civil rights movement, as it overturned the precedent set by Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which endorsed the "separate but equal" doctrine. Following this ruling, various measures were taken to integrate public schools across the United States.

Which of the following best encapsulates the fundamental principle established by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education regarding equal protection under the law?