The Mendez vs. Westminster case challenged the segregation of Mexican American students in the public schools of Orange County, California. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, saying segregation of Mexican American students in public schools was unconstitutional and ordering the school districts to end their discriminatory practices. The victory in this 1946 class action lawsuit marked an important step in helping to end segregation in public schools across the state. The ruling is significant because it is the first time a federal court has ruled that school segregation based on race or ethnicity is not allowed in the United States. In addition, it served as a precedent for Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954 that addressed the
