October Term 2006 · Docket 05-908
Can schools use race to assign students?
Parents challenge a district plan that uses race to assign students to schools.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Korrell argued the district denied over 300 children admission based on race.
General Clement argued the district plan ignores the two most racially concentrated high schools.
Justice Ginsburg asked if schools can have a race-conscious objective without using racial means.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-41
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether public schools may use race to assign students.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 4, 2006.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
Parents want the court to strike down the district's race-based assignment plan.
The district wants the court to allow race-conscious student assignments.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
What each side says
Parents argue the district denied admission to over 300 children solely because of their race.
The district argues it needs to address racial isolation in its schools.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
What the justices asked
Justice Souter asked if the case resembles affirmative action contexts.
Justice Kennedy asked if schools can use race for site selection of new buildings.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-41
Why it matters
The outcome defines the limits of race-conscious policies in public education.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-41
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 7-21 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 7-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 47-19 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 47-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.