Missouri

Tolliver

vs

Board

St. Louis had two institutions for training teachers: Harris Teachers College for white students and Stowe Teachers College for Black students. Marjorie V. Toliver sought to transfer from Stowe to Harris because Stowe was not accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and she felt this would halt her progress in the teaching field. Her application was denied. She sought to compel Harris Teachers College officials to admit her. The trial court ruled in her favor, but the college’s Board appealed this decision. The Supreme Court of Missouri held that the Missouri Constitution allowed separate schools to be provided, and so it was unlawful for a Black student to attend a white school, and vice versa. Segregation had also been previously upheld and did not violate the Constitution of the United States. They found that since Toliver didn't question the validity of the law, she must have believed one facility was lacking. Toliver claimed that Stowe students experienced difficulty entering other universities, but because she couldn't name any individual who experienced such, the Court did not side with her. The Court found that both Harris and Stowe were accredited by the American Association of Teachers Colleges and both schools were comparable and equal. They reversed the lower court's decision and ruled with the Board. [218 words]

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