Opinion ID: 1843606
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Court Decisions Interpreting Various Constitutional Provisions Relating to Public Education

Text: The system of what were called common schools in this state was founded on the grant by the United States of the 16th section in every township for the use of schools, as provided by the act for the admission of the state into the Union. In Elsberry v. Seay, 83 Ala. 614, 3 So. 804 (1888), Justice Clopton, writing for the Court, stated: The principle of free elementary education is not of modern origin. Public schools were established for the education of the children of the community, in States which have long since perished; and in some European States, systems of popular education were created at an early period. In New England, common schools originated more than two centuries ago, and, with the spread of popular enlightenment, and the increase of material prosperity, have received in this country their most enlarged development; until a system of public schools has been established in every State of the Union, varying in details, but all preserving the leading feature and distinguishing characteristic the extension of the opportunities and benefits of popular education to all the children of school age in the state. 83 Ala. at 617, 3 So. at 806 (emphasis added). Justice Clopton further wrote: [T]he diffusion of knowledge, at least elementary, is essential to the preservation of free government, and ... the extension of the opportunities and advantages of education throughout the various parts of the State [is essential]. 83 Ala. at 617-18, 3 So. at 806. Justice Clopton further stated: The constitutional system of common schools must extend throughout the State, and must afford equal benefit to all the children thereof within the specified years. 83 Ala. at 816, 3 So. at 806 (emphasis added). Citing Schultes v. Eberly, 82 Ala. 242, 2 So. 345 (1887), he concluded that the system of public schools, commanded to be established, organized, and maintained, was intended to operate upon, and in favor of, all the children equally, without special local privileges to any. 83 Ala. at 618, 3 So. at 807 (emphasis added). I cite these old Alabama cases and judicial interpretations of predecessor provisions of the Alabama Constitution of 1901 relating to public schools to show that from the time Alabama was admitted into the Union its citizens have imposed a duty and obligation on the legislative branch to encourage and to provide a system of public schools, however characterized, to operate upon, and in favor of all the children equally, without special local privileges to any. In essence, that is what the trial court declared the Alabama Constitution requires today. This Court had another opportunity to address the question of the intent of the framers of the Constitution relating to public education in Vincent v. County Board of Education of Talladega County, 222 Ala. 216, 131 So. 893 (1931). In Vincent, the Court was asked to construe the same provisions of the Alabama Constitution that the trial court construed in this case. There, the plaintiffs claimed that § 467 and § 182 of the School Code of 1927, which permitted school trustees, with the approval of the county board of education, to fix a reasonable incidental fee to be paid by pupils, were unconstitutional on the ground that they violated § 286 of the Alabama Constitution of 1901, which provided for a liberal system of public schools.