WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court confronts whether race can be used in deciding where students to go to school on Monday, testing the willingness of President George W. Bush's two newest court appointees to overturn programs to foster racial diversity.
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In a pair of cases that could affect millions of students nationwide, the high court will consider whether the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equality allows public elementary, middle and high schools to use race as a factor in admissions.
A sharply divided Supreme Court voted 5-4 in 2003 when it last addressed similar issues and ruled that racial preferences can be used in university admission decisions.
Oral arguments on Monday should offer insights into the views on this hot-button social issue from the court's newest members, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, conservatives who joined the nine-member court last term.
Alito replaced the more moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, author of the 2003 ruling that left unresolved whether race also can be used as a factor in deciding admissions to elementary and high schools.
As U.S. Justice Department lawyers in the early 1980s during Ronald Reagan's presidency, both Roberts and Alito strongly opposed quotas and some affirmative action programs designed to benefit minorities.
In one case before the high court, Seattle used race as a tie-breaking factor in deciding who gets into which of the city's public high schools when too many students seek admission to the same school.
School officials there aim for each school to have about 40 percent white students and 60 percent racial minorities, reflecting the city's overall racial composition.
In the other case, the Louisville, Kentucky-area school district used racial guidelines to keep black student enrollment at most elementary, middle and high schools at between 15 percent and 50 percent to maintain diversity.
A group of parents in Seattle and the parent of a white student in Louisville who had been denied entry into his neighborhood school challenged the use of race.
Their lawyers said the Supreme Court has yet to decide a case involving a school district's voluntary use of race-based pupil assignments for a purpose other than to remedy the effects of past segregation.
Both supporters and opponents of the programs cited the Supreme Court's historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954 that outlawed racial segregation in the nation's public schools.
'PRESERVE DESEGREGATED EDUCATION'
Theodore Shaw of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc., a civil rights group in New York, urged the court to "preserve and pursue the soul of desegregated education enshrined in Brown and its progeny."
"The Orwellian arguments that voluntary integration efforts constitute racial discrimination in violation of the ... (Constitution), if validated by this court, would be an unwarranted and tragic reversal of historic proportions," he said in written arguments.
The Bush administration's top courtroom lawyer, Solicitor General Paul Clement, also invoked the 1954 ruling in urging the court to strike down both programs.
Clement argued the two race-based student assignment plans are just as unconstitutional as the school segregation policy struck down in 1954.
"The promise of this court's landmark decision in Brown and its progeny was to effectuate a transition to a racially nondiscriminatory school system and thus achieve a system of determining admission to the public schools on a nonracial basis," he said.
Clement and lawyers for the parents will argue against the plans. Attorneys for the two school districts will defend the programs as constitutional
2006-12-02 05:21:51 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Law & Ethics
Let me start by saying you do not have to believe in God or be religious to be respectful... So let's try to display a little respect for all people and their religions, honest answers only please.
This is a hypothetical question...
Do you think if everyone in the world who believes in God (what ever your idea of God is) would come together on one accord and agree that there is only one God and prayed to that one that all of these problems that people think should be solvable through prayer would be resolved. Hunger, homelessness, violence, murder, war etc.
Because if you think about it hypothetically speaking if there is truly one God how can he answer the prayers of billions of people on one targeted issue when everyone is praying to a different God, Deity, or Spiritual Being?
It's just a question and not an attempt at conversion so serious answers please.
2006-12-02 05:21:45 · 11 answers · asked by Alicia S 4 in Religion & Spirituality
I got my first period yesterday, and i feel like I am constantly peeing myself... does anybody have any suggestons on what to do? please help me
2006-12-02 05:21:44 · 12 answers · asked by Kaiti C 2 in Women's Health
if u hate them all that is ok (they're really not that good). mine is Finding Nemo!!
2006-12-02 05:21:41 · 18 answers · asked by bri_rox99 2 in Movies
2006-12-02 05:21:36 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture
it's a little 5 month old girl kitten. she is a tabby color but she has weird orange splotches on her. the lady at the rescue said she thinks she has some calico in her. she's very sweet and laid in my arms for awhile before she got all playful and squirmy. so i need some names for her, have any cute ones?
oh yeah i have another cat who's almost 2 years old and her name is spooky lol. it sounds silly but she runs from everything haha.
2006-12-02 05:21:35 · 17 answers · asked by Kismet 7 in Cats
I had a chicken sandwhich(1slice of wheat bread),carrots and chocolate ovaltine. I even had water and i'm still hungry. This usually fills me up. What gives?
2006-12-02 05:21:34 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Diet & Fitness
2006-12-02 05:21:26 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Dogs
When I was 12 I broke half of one of my front teeth and had to have a root canal. The dentist restored the tooth with bonding and I had it replaced a couple times until today (15 yrs later) only because the line between the real tooth and bonding was becoming more visible. The tooth itself was fine.
My new dentist says that I should get a crown because it is more durable and will give me a better smile. He wants to put a porcelain to high noble metal crown. I'm scared of taking the leap, I am afraid of the crown not matching the other teeth. I've also read a lot about all porcelain vs. porcelain fused to metal. Now I am at a loss!!
The bonding I have today is ok but doesn't look impeccable. What is the best solution?
2006-12-02 05:21:16 · 3 answers · asked by ya h 1 in Dental
2006-12-02 05:21:14 · 11 answers · asked by aznriding 1 in Singles & Dating
I want to put a CD tuner and an MD player in the space the CD player in my 2002 Ford Galaxy goes in. (It is about twice the height of a standard car music unit). I know two units will fit in there but how would I get them to work, is there the power and sound leads nessesary. Is the car design so bad that I can not replace the existing CD player?
2006-12-02 05:21:12 · 4 answers · asked by True_Brit 3 in Car Audio
2006-12-02 05:21:12 · 11 answers · asked by piece 1 in Dogs
i moved to a new school this year and i got this really hott bf. he perfect except one thing...he doesn't talk to me! he talks to everyone else but me i feel so unloved by him.How should i handle this situation?! please help!
2006-12-02 05:21:12 · 12 answers · asked by naughty little inchworm 1 in Singles & Dating
ok i like this guy and his name was chris. we where doing a group project. and he happens to be in my group. and i was standing like the corner right behind him. and i was leaning on the desk. then john said. can you get my backpack behind you? and i said no. and he said oh yea u look pretty today. and i said thanks but no. then chris said no she looks fine. and chyea. and ok the next day. he was sitting next to reanna. and reanna stand up and sat on the floor so i got tired of standing so i sat on her set. and he got up. sat on the edge of his set so he is hecka close to me. then i felt his legs touchin mines and he lean over and said are u feeling nervous? and i said uh no but really i am. and i sometimes notice him starrin at me and one time i think he smiled at me. and at times during passing period he stops and looks at me. and in lunch. we were sitting on the bench. he was too but we were on da other end. he saw me. he got up and went and sat right next to me.
2006-12-02 05:21:10 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Singles & Dating
i don't want people to see me naked but i don't want to smell either. I just want to know what other guys do after they workout so i can decide wuts best for me to do.
2006-12-02 05:21:03 · 10 answers · asked by JM 2 in Men's Health
My dvd player worked yesterday. Now it has an error message for every dvd running program on my computer. One says that the decoding needs reset. One says there are too many pixels and one says that another program is trying to run(but it isn't). Any suggestions? I've run all the updates it told me to.
2006-12-02 05:21:01 · 1 answers · asked by Anonymous in Software
2006-12-02 05:21:00 · 16 answers · asked by DJ 1 in Football (American)
2006-12-02 05:20:56 · 10 answers · asked by Rawr! 1 in Singles & Dating
Its my first time going downtown on my man. I know what to do,but i dont know what to do. (does that make any sense)?
2006-12-02 05:20:52 · 3 answers · asked by Jackeeeee 3 in Singles & Dating
I've noticed the trend these days is to get a divorce just so easily. I mean people get divorced like its nothing. I'm mean does an ever lasting marriage mean nothing anymore to people? I see people at work and almost everyone has been divorced or is getting one. I'm so afraid that I'm going to fall into the trend also. Me and my husband have a lot of problems and I always want to try to work through them. I mean it would be so easy just to say I give up. Am I weird not to just give up so easily on my marriage like everyone else and give in to the trend of divorce?
2006-12-02 05:20:41 · 10 answers · asked by guardianangel 3 in Marriage & Divorce
2006-12-02 05:20:35 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Friends
how can u tell when a guy likes u ?
2006-12-02 05:20:33 · 1 answers · asked by -♥- onalou -♥- 1 in Singles & Dating
2006-12-02 05:20:32 · 4 answers · asked by promoprints 1 in Software
I'm doing a scrapbook project on "The Things They Carried." Please I need ideas on what I can do with the cover, if you have experience with scrapbooking I would really appreciate your help...I want something original and extraordinary! Any tips? Thank you so much to all the helpful answers! :-)
Websites are helpful too.
2006-12-02 05:20:19 · 3 answers · asked by msdrosi 3 in Hobbies & Crafts
My 3 year old always has pale pooh, varies from pale green to yellows and tonight yellowy white. he is healthy and happy. Eats a varied diet, enjoying meat, vegetables and fruit as well as occaisional sweets. Drinks large amounts but always so.......It has been like this for nearly ayear. His weight is good for his height. He is tall for age
2006-12-02 05:20:19 · 8 answers · asked by h b 1 in Toddler & Preschooler
How to cook in Microoven this food ok, called Dhokla in Gujrati food, what are thein grdients and steps to make thia dishok.
2006-12-02 05:20:11 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cooking & Recipes
This could be any election, but presumably a national election for the political leader of your country.
Do you get swayed by the personality of someone? Would you rather have someone who looks nice and talks like a friend over someone who gets the job done, who makes improvements in your country, even if they might be ugly and seem to be someone that could never be your friend?
It's not like you need to be friends with the leader anyway.
2006-12-02 05:20:10 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Elections
Last night my boyfriend and I were on the phone and he says "****! GODAMMNIT! Let me call you back!!" and I'm like "Okay." and 20 minutes pass and I don't hear anything from him. So then I'm like kinda worried as to what happened. I know his mom, sister, and brother all fight with one another...they fight at least once a day. So I didn't know what happened, I was worried.
So he calls me 20 minutes later saying "I'm in the car taking my sister to her friends house!" and I'm like "Ooook. Bye!" slightly annoyed that I'm sittin here waitin on you for 20 minutes and you already in the car, going to get something to eat, and takin your sister somewhere.
2006-12-02 05:20:10 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Singles & Dating
... what is one thing that can guarantee to buckle your knees, and have you serve up offerings and sacrifices to the porcelain god?
2006-12-02 05:20:05 · 5 answers · asked by raydeeo_face 2 in Other - Health
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