Contrasting portraits: San Antonio v. Rodriguez and the emergent equal protection ideal

Abstract

"Contrasting Portraits" is the history of Rodriguez, the Texas school finance case from 1968 to 1973. The thesis places the case within three contexts: Texas education, Mexican-American rights, and equal protection. Rodriguez concluded one stream of Supreme Court equal protection analysis and launched another interpretation, reflective of societal change. An analysis of the Rodriguez briefs and court opinions revealed two conflicting ideals: equality and liberty. School finance cases pit constituencies representing these ideals against each other: advocates of equal educational opportunity and advocates of local control, each searching to provide the best education for America's children. The study, which includes a chronology chart of Rodriguez from 1968 to 1995, suggests that school finance reformers should continue to search for new, simple, moderate standards that will both foster equality and liberty and still strengthen all schools.