The Supremes Cut Away At Brown

From the New York Times.
In a decision of sweeping importance to educators, parents and schoolchildren across the country, the Supreme Court today sharply limited the ability of school districts to manage the racial makeup of the student bodies in their schools.

The court voted, 5 to 4, to reject diversity plans from Seattle and Louisville, Ky., declaring that the districts had failed to meet “their heavy burden” of justifying “the extreme means they have chosen — discriminating among individual students based on race by relying upon racial classifications in making school assignments.”

Chief Justice John Robert wrote, ”The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race,”

Justice Stephen Breyer wrote, ”To invalidate the plans under review is to threaten the promise of Brown,” Breyer said.

Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote, ”What was wrong in 1954 cannot be right today,” Thomas said. ”The plans before us base school assignment decisions on students’ race. Because ‘our Constitution is colorblind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens,’ such race-based decisionmaking is unconstitutional.”

The State Of . . . Brown v. Board is fading into the sunset. So I (rich) guess those of you who who’ve commented on the blog that Brown was a fantasy and that it’s crazy to want our kids to go to school togther are rejoicing. You would share company with Justice Thomas and Roberts. What’s a school district to do? Surely, there is some value in wanting your kid to be involved in a diverse community and school. If not, then aren’t we saying that separate but equal is fine?