SCOTUS Rejects Appeal Over Alleged Race Bias in Boston High Schools

Supreme Court declines to intervene in Boston’s controversial school admissions policy, igniting debate over racial equity in education.

At a Glance

  • Supreme Court rejects appeal from Boston parents over alleged race bias in elite high school admissions
  • Temporary policy replaced entrance exams with system based on academic performance and ZIP codes
  • Policy claimed to discriminate against White and Asian students
  • Justices Alito and Thomas dissented, criticizing the decision as perpetuating race-based affirmative action
  • Case dismissed as moot due to policy’s obsolescence, despite broader implications for race-conscious admissions

Supreme Court’s Non-Intervention Sparks Controversy

In a move that’s sure to ruffle feathers, the Supreme Court has declined to review an appeal concerning Boston’s pandemic-era admissions policy for elite high schools. The Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence brought the case forward, arguing that the temporary measure discriminated against White and Asian students. This decision comes on the heels of the Court’s landmark ruling against race-conscious admissions in colleges, leaving many to question the consistency of the judicial branch’s stance on racial considerations in education.

The controversy stems from the Boston School Committee’s decision to temporarily suspend entrance exams for the city’s prestigious schools, including Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. Instead, they implemented a system based on student performance and ZIP codes, ostensibly to address COVID-19 safety concerns. However, this move allegedly resulted in a significant reduction in the admission of White and Asian students, raising questions about the policy’s true intentions and effects.

Dissenting Voices from the Bench

While the majority of the Court chose not to hear the case, citing the policy’s obsolescence, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas vehemently dissented. Their opposition to the decision highlights the ongoing debate over race-conscious policies in educational settings, even after the Court’s recent ruling against affirmative action in college admissions.

The Broader Implications

While the Court’s decision not to hear the case might seem like a victory for proponents of the Boston policy, it’s important to note that this non-intervention doesn’t necessarily endorse the practice. Rather, it leaves open questions about how lower courts should interpret and apply the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on race-conscious admissions in different educational contexts.

“The parents and students do not challenge Boston’s new policy, nor do they suggest that the city is simply biding its time, intent on reviving the old policy. Strictly speaking, those developments may not moot this case. But, to my mind, they greatly diminish the need for our review.” Justice Neil Gorsuch stated, providing insight into the Court’s reasoning.

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