Read a Pacific Northwest, liberal perspective on world, national, and local politics. From majestic Redmond, Washington - the Northwest Progressive Institute Official Blog.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Seattle integration plan struck down

News from back east this morning that will impact Seattle schools:
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court today rejected school diversity plans that take account of students' race in two major public school districts.

The decision in cases affecting schools in Seattle and Louisville, Ky., could imperil similar plans in hundreds of districts nationwide, and it leaves public school systems with a limited arsenal to maintain racial diversity.

The court split, 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts announcing the court's judgment. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote a dissent that was joined by the court's other three liberals.
I'll reserve comment until I find out more about the reasoning, but thought those in the Seattle area might wish to know.

UPDATE 9:50 AM --The P-I has an article that fleshes things out a bit:
The court split, 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts announcing the court's judgment.

"The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race," Roberts wrote for four of the court's nine justices. The ruling applies to school districts that aren't under a court order to remove the vestiges of past discrimination.

Justice Stephen Breyer wrote a dissent that was joined by the court's other three liberals. Breyer said the ruling would "threaten the promise" of the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation decision, and warned, "this is a decision that the court and the nation will come to regret."

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote a concurring opinion in which he said race may be a component of school district plans designed to achieve diversity.
I have a feeling this is going to be a common situation in the coming years. The fringe elements that dominated the GOP in the 1990's and early 2000's have ensconced their people in the courts and the federal government (can you say USA firings?) to the extent future damage is hard to predict. In conservative la-la land, attempts to counteract discrimination are themselves a form of discrimination.

I suppose now there will be a huge outcry about these activist Supreme Court justices making laws instead of enforcing them.

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