News-Record.com

Jennifer and Morgan,

I'm surprised that you haven't had any articles, nor even mentioned, the two cases currently being argued before the Supreme Court that could have a profound impact upon public school student assignments. These are the Seattle and Louisville cases that raise the question whether race can be a factor is school assignment, such as the choice plan here in Guilford County. I don't recall any stories appearing in the N&R regarding this matter, unless I have missed them. I would think that these cases would have interest to parents in this county.

Those cases have interest throughout our country and were argued today before the Court and the outcome will be announced later which I'm certain will then become a topic of interest to many parents in this area.

I listened to the arguments on C-Span today and got the impression the majority of the judges that spoke will decide in favor of the popularly elected School Board's decisions (reassignment of students) in the Louisville as well as Seattle matter.

RP,

I listened to the lawyers' arguments as well as the interviews afterward. It was interesting that I heard little about how such student assignments improves the learning process for students, that is, how it actually contributes to closing the achievement gap faster. Shouldn't the measure of this process be that it improves all students' learning, otherwise, what's the point? Isn't that the objective of public schools...education of all children?

We wrote about this case in June. We will run something again for sure once the Supreme Court rules.

Stormy,

FYI, here is the transcript for the oral arguments in the Kentucky case. It's available on the Supreme Court Web site.

I didn't see one yet for the Seattle case.

Don't forget folks....

M E D I A
A D V I S O R Y

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

E.C. HUEY’S CANDIDACY FOR SCHOOL BOARD
TO BE ANNOUNCED TUESDAY

GREENSBORO (4 December 2006) – Guilford County 2008 School Board at-large candidate E.C. Huey will officially announce the kickoff of his countywide candidacy Tuesday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. on the sidewalk in front of Guilford County Schools’ Administrative Offices on 712 N. Eugene Street in downtown Greensboro. Mr. Huey will make a brief statement and will take questions from the news media.

Huey will then present remarks to the Guilford County Board of Education at its 6pm regular meeting.

Copies of Huey’s remarks will be made available to media representatives gathered. Supporters of his candidacy are invited to attend.

RP,

Your analysis above doesn't seem insync with the reporter from USA Today. Here's portions of tomorrow's story on the matter:

"WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared ready Monday to strike down public school diversity programs that use race as a factor in deciding where students go to school.

In the first test of school integration efforts to come before the court since Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Samuel Alito joined the bench last term, the justices heard two cases — one from Seattle, the other from Louisville — that examine whether using race in school assignments violates the Constitution's equality guarantee.

The key player appeared to be Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is at the ideological center of the court. As the liberals asked questions that suggested they supported the school districts' policies, Kennedy joined conservative justices in expressing skepticism about programs that transfer some students out of their neighborhoods to counteract racially segregated housing patterns in those cities.

Kennedy bristled at the notion of "characterizing each student by the color of his or her skin," even for benevolent reasons. He rejected arguments that such policies do not stigmatize or otherwise harm students because all pupils end up with a place in a classroom, even if they are denied the school of their choice.

"The question is whether or not you can get into the school that you really prefer," Kennedy said. "And that in some cases depends solely on skin color. You know, it's like saying everybody can have a meal but only people with (a particular) skin can get the dessert."

Stormy,

I would agree, my initial impressions are wrong.

After watching the repeat on C-Span it appears that the reassignment issue just might suffer a setback in light of the comments of the swing vote on the Court, Justice Kennedy.

Here's a link to the NY Times story (registration may be required.)