Case Law Index
federal2007
Additional Highlights:Equal ProtectionSchool IntegrationRace-Conscious Policies
Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1
United States Supreme Court
Key Holding
School districts may not use individual students' race as the determining factor in school assignments to achieve racial balance without satisfying strict scrutiny.
Case Summary
Parents Involved held that Seattle and Louisville school districts' race-conscious student assignment plans violated the Equal Protection Clause because they did not serve a compelling interest consistent with prior precedent, as they used race as a binary sorting mechanism rather than as part of a holistic review.