Via NY Times:
In a decision of sweeping importance to educators, parents and schoolchildren across the country, the Supreme Court today sharply limited the ability of school districts to manage the racial makeup of the student bodies in their schools.
…
The court voted, 5 to 4, to reject diversity plans from Seattle and Louisville, Ky., declaring that the districts had failed to meet “their heavy burden” of justifying “the extreme means they have chosen – discriminating among individual students based on race by relying upon racial classifications in making school assignments,” as Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the court.
Of the worrisome decision, Justice Paul Stevens wrote, “It is my firm conviction that no member of the court that I joined in 1975 would have agreed with today’s decision.”
38-years after Stonewall and here we stand, America.
Jay Glover
38-years after Stonewall and here we stand, America.
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What? What does Stonewall have to do with this decision?
Ryan
errr… nothing.
However, this decision is very, very, very sad. Thanks, Democrats, for allowing two nasty justices without putting up a fight or even demanding they actually answer questions.
naprem
Wait, I’m confused. They’re saying discrimination is bad, aren’t they? And if so, that’s a good thing to say, right?
“failed to justify discrimination based on race.”
Perhaps i’m mis-reading, but I’m not sure what you’re complaining about.
dizzyspins
racial quotas are a very controversial thing–there are people at all points the political spectrum who are against them. Its too glib to say anyone against them is a hardened reactionary.
nycstudman
i have at best mixed feelings about this decision. I have no such mixed feelings about this decision being on Queerty: Doesn’t. Belong. Stick to the topic and leave the Supreme Court decisions to Huffington Post, OK?
BillieXX
Come on Queerty. How dare you actually go beyond the gay orbit? You do you think you are? Please stick to news about the Pines or the Black Party. Thank you.
nycstudman
“Please stick to news about the Pines or the Black Party. Thank you.” You left out Alegria
hisurfer
Some of you guys are looking at this from the wrong perspective. The justices didn’t rule on racial quotas or school integration per se, they ruled on the constitutional questions underlying those issues.
And what four of the five (Kennedy offered a less radical opinion to give them the majority, but on more narrow grounds) said was: you cannot look at race when making decisions, and that all decisions must be Constitutionally color-blind.
Fine on the surface. However, if these four had been in the majority the decision could have knocked out the underpinnings for *all* civil rights laws, from non-discrimination policies to our precious hate-crimes legislation.
And this is why it’s relevant to Queerty.
Mr. B
What Hisurfer said. It’s a multi-tiered issue, and not very easy to address in legislation. And “color-blind” isn’t always in everyone’s best interests–especially for people of color.