The President Steps in at Little Rock: Was It Constitutionally Correct? School is defined as an institution of learning for children; after the Brown vs. Board of Education case, it was established that having the children separated by their ethnicities or race was wrong. The integration of the children into the schools was supposed to happen with all deliberate speed but with this new phenomenon of diversity came tremendous hostility amongst people mainly in the south. One place that faced this conflict was Little Rock, Arkansas; nine African American children attempted to go to school but were told it was unsafe and to go home because there was violent protesters surrounding the school. The state governor was no help with securing the safety
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In the second article of the American Constitution, it states, “He [the president] shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed” (Document A). This article declares that the executive branch has the authority to enforce any legislation enacted by the Congress and execute any interpretations of said laws by the Supreme Court. In order to do this, he has control over federal officers. The Supreme Court stated that is was unconstitutional to have children segregated at school due to the color of their skin. In Little Rock, people were protesting the integration program, which enabled nine African Americans to start going to a school that was previously only for whites. A mob protesting the integration project were brutal. Although the police used “valiant effort” to try to control the mob, things were getting to the point where they could not handle it themselves and needed help (Document E). These people were disobeying the Supreme Court’s ruling to allow the children go to school; they were making it an unsafe environment for not only the African American children but everyone, teachers and white students included. It was not only needed, but it was the president’s job to step in and deal with these violent protests with whatever force he deemed necessary, including deploying the National Guard to protect the students of Little …show more content…
Before there were any guns even involved, President Eisenhower went with a peaceful approach and released Proclamation 3204 that states, “do command all persons engaged in such obstructions [the protesters] to cease and desist therefrom, and to disperse forthwith” (Document F). He used his position as the commander and chief of country to enforce this proclamation. After receiving a second message the day after the proclamation was released the protestors were “much larger in number” than previously as if people were purposefully disobeying the president’s order (Document G). When people are blatantly disobeying the powers at hand more force is necessary and constitutional. In an image titled “Operation Arkansas: A Different Kind of Deployment Photo”, you can see the National Guard protecting the students and all of them being safe (Document I). The guns were the distance that the government had to go in order to ensure the laws were abided and was constitutionally justified by the second article of the United States
In the second article of the American Constitution, it states, “He [the president] shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed” (Document A). This article declares that the executive branch has the authority to enforce any legislation enacted by the Congress and execute any interpretations of said laws by the Supreme Court. In order to do this, he has control over federal officers. The Supreme Court stated that is was unconstitutional to have children segregated at school due to the color of their skin. In Little Rock, people were protesting the integration program, which enabled nine African Americans to start going to a school that was previously only for whites. A mob protesting the integration project were brutal. Although the police used “valiant effort” to try to control the mob, things were getting to the point where they could not handle it themselves and needed help (Document E). These people were disobeying the Supreme Court’s ruling to allow the children go to school; they were making it an unsafe environment for not only the African American children but everyone, teachers and white students included. It was not only needed, but it was the president’s job to step in and deal with these violent protests with whatever force he deemed necessary, including deploying the National Guard to protect the students of Little …show more content…
Before there were any guns even involved, President Eisenhower went with a peaceful approach and released Proclamation 3204 that states, “do command all persons engaged in such obstructions [the protesters] to cease and desist therefrom, and to disperse forthwith” (Document F). He used his position as the commander and chief of country to enforce this proclamation. After receiving a second message the day after the proclamation was released the protestors were “much larger in number” than previously as if people were purposefully disobeying the president’s order (Document G). When people are blatantly disobeying the powers at hand more force is necessary and constitutional. In an image titled “Operation Arkansas: A Different Kind of Deployment Photo”, you can see the National Guard protecting the students and all of them being safe (Document I). The guns were the distance that the government had to go in order to ensure the laws were abided and was constitutionally justified by the second article of the United States