Supreme Court Heard Employment Discrimination Case Today

Last week we told you about this case in our Full Court Press post. You can read the full transcript from today's oral arguments here.

Almost two years ago, in a 5-4 decision, Chief Justice Roberts, newly appointed by President George W. Bush, wrote a decision dismantling decades of precedent when he rejected efforts by Seattle and Louisville to ensure that their schools were racially integrated. Justice Kennedy joined the four reliable opponents of any remedies for past segregation but left the door open for a future case in which the goal of integrating schools might allow a school district to take race into account in assigning students to schools. Today, the Court heard arguments in a case from New Haven, Connecticut, that may test if that door remains open at all, or will be shut forever against efforts to promote racial diversity -- this time in the workplace rather than schools.

Also worth reading is Dahlia Lithwick's post about the case argued in front of the Supreme Court yesterday, Safford United School District v. Redding