Case Summary
Issue:
Whether a public school district may assign students to high school on the basis of their race for the alleged purpose of achieving diversity?
Plaintiff:
Parents Involved in Community Schools
Defendant:
Seattle School District No. 1, and various entities and officials
Amicus Curiae:
Mountain States Legal Foundation
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Case History
In 1998, the Seattle School District began allowing students to decide what high school they wished to attend if there were space available. In the event the school did not have sufficient room, the district utilized “tiebreakers,” one of which was to make an assignment on the basis of race in order to achieve what the district believed is the proper racial balance. A group of parents filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the district plan. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, relying on the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger, which upheld the use of race by the University of Michigan Law School to achieve diversity, approved the Seattle program. On June 5, 2006, the Supreme Court agreed to review that ruling.
On August 21, 2006, MSLF filed its brief in support of the petitioner. On October 10, 2006, the Seattle School District No. 1 filed its response. Oral arguments took place on December 4, 2006.
