Full Version: SCOTUS Rejects School Assignment Based on Race
QUOTE(Bikerdad @ Jul 3 2007, 01:27 PM) 
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BD, I'll bite, how do either the Seattle or Louisville enrollment programs deny equality of opportunity to anyone? Would they have ensured equality of outcome? And the Constitution equal protection clause and all, does seem to support equal outcomes in political rights doesn't it?
They deny the opportunity to go to the school you choose by virtue of where you choose to live. And no, the Constitution's equal protection clause does not support "equal outcomes" in political rights. If I believed that it did, then I'd advocate for proportional representation based on race, or based on sex, or based on religion, or etc etc.. What it guarantees is that when the Gubmint interracts with you, it interracts with you as Citizen. Not as Black, White, Purple, etc. Citizen. That's it. If you want to call that an "outcome", have at it. Most folks would consider the results of the interraction as the "outcome."So the opportunity being denied in very few cases and at that usually for the short term if the child and parents are still adamant about going to the school based on location, that opportunity is not for an equal education and equal chance to climb as high as one wants in life (you know, the American dream and all), the opportunity being denied is to go to school as close as possible to one's door. That is the equality of opportunity?
If we are going to expand out the equality of opportunity in this world, do you really believe it exists. Why does a district have to use the closest school model? What if I want to go to one six miles away instead of four? Do all districts have to be drawn so that the closest school is the school every child goes to? Do you think this decision guarantees that?
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Questions for Debate:
1) Do you agree with the courts decision that race shouldn't be the sole consideration in school assignment plans? Why or why not?
1) Do you agree with the courts decision that race shouldn't be the sole consideration in school assignment plans? Why or why not?
Yes. All children are entitled to a good education regardless of race. We should not try to force “diversity” in schools.
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2) Will this decision threaten the attainment of diversity in primary education as was advocated in Brown? Is such a goal even relevant today?
No it is not achievable or relevant. Diversity cannot and should not be a criteria but having this as a goal is fine. Good schools will attract kids os all background.
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3) Is there an alternative to creating diversity in schools besides the approach these districts were taking?
Yes make the schools excellent enough that people from different backgrounds will want to go there. Then you can select kids from different parts of the city or surrounding area and diversity will be achieved.
There are numerous other ways to do this.
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