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June 28, 2007
UPDATE: Diversity cases decisionBoardBuzz is still just as disappointed as we were this morning in the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to strike down the voluntary integration plans of the Seattle and Louisville school districts, but we're encouraged by the fact that a majority of the court recognized the ability of school boards to continue to maintain racial diversity as a legitimate educational goal.
After reading the opinion, NSBA's General Counsel Francisco Negrón pointed out, "Despite the majority opinion, we are pleased with Justice Anthony M. Kennedy's separate concurrence that explicitly rejected the plurality's contention that racial diversity constituted racial balancing, which is constitutionally impermissible."
In addition, Anne Bryant, NSBA's executive director, noted that "School districts have a compelling reason to create a diverse learning environment because it helps improve student achievement and prepares students to live and work in an increasingly diverse society."
You can read NSBA's complete press release here and you can check out Negrón on ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson and on various local NBC affiliates throughout the nation. You can also listen to his interview on "All Things Considered" tonight on NPR, during Nina Totenburg's court report.
Tomorrow, look for newspaper coverage of NSBA's reaction to the decision in USA Today, the New York Times, and Associated Press stories. Several other papers also covered NSBA's reaction: the Orlando Sentinel, Cincinnati Inquirer, Baltimore Examiner, Washington Times, and the Times Picayune, as well as Education Week.
Legal junkies can get more information and opinions from the SCOTUS blog and the Supreme Court School Integration blog. And don't forget NSBA's great resource page here.
Posted June 28, 2007 5:16 PM | School Law
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