Today in Supreme Court History: September 12, 1958

9/12/1958: Cooper v. Aaron is decided.

Comments

[Dan Schiavetta]

Aaron v. Cooper, 358 U.S. 1 (decided September 12, 1958): in a per curiam decision issued quickly due to the school year beginning, the Court affirms the Circuit Court's order desegregating Little Rock High School, overriding opposition of the Governor and State Legislature (the full opinion, unanimous, came down on Sept. 29, also 358 U.S. 1)

Brown v. Gilmore, 533 U.S. 1301 (decided September 12, 2001): Rehnquist refuses to stay operation of new Virginia law requiring "minute of silence" at start of school day; notes that the Court had struck down similar statutes only because they involved teacher-led prayer or were specifically stated by the legislature "to return prayer to the schools" (cert was denied, 534 U.S. 996)