Which legal precedent established that education is not a federally protected issue?

The case of Rodriguez vs. San Antonio Independent School District is significant because it established that education is not a federally protected right under the Constitution. The Supreme Court ruled in this case that there is no federal constitutional guarantee of equal access to education, and therefore the disparities in funding based on local property taxes did not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This ruling effectively indicated that issues related to education funding and equality are primarily state responsibilities rather than federal ones.

In contrast, the other cases referenced deal with various aspects of educational rights and protections, such as affirmative action (Gratz v. Bollinger), the rights of undocumented students to public education (Plyler v. Doe), and student search and seizure rights (New Jersey v. T.L.O.). Each of these cases addresses specific legal principles relating to education but does not establish the overarching principle that education itself lacks federal protection, which is a critical distinction made in the Rodriguez case.