CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
W.B. Fisch, Fall 2006
Assignment #31

[Proving Unlawful Segregation in the North]

  • Keyes v. School Dist. #1, Denver, p. 738 (1973)
    • what was different about "northern segregation", that made it a distinguishable legal problem from that in the south and border states?
    • what special facts in the Denver case complicated proof of violation?
      • two major minority groups as victims of discrimination?
      • proof of intentional segregation as to some but not all schools?
    • what technique did the Court use to overcome the geographic problem?
    • Powell's opinion
      • what is the de facto/de jure distinction, as Powell understands it?
      • why does it produce unjustifiable differences in desegregation enforcement between northern and southern school districts?
      • what is Powell's proposed solution to this problem?
  • Dayton and Columbus, pp. 740-41 (1979): how is the "northern" problem of proof solved in these cases?
  • when are the remedial obligations of a once-intentionally-segregated system fulfilled, so the remedial orders can be lifted?
    • Spangler,p. 745 (1976): can the duty to maintain quotas be indefinite?
    • Dowell, pp. 746 (1991)
      • does mere compliance with a decree warrant its dissolution?
      • can a system which has achieved "unitary status" by means of redrawing district lines, now re-adopt a "neighborhood school" plan which results in substantial re-segregation along racial lines?
      • when can one say that current housing segregation is not attributable in part to past school segregation?
    • Freeman v. Pitts, p. 747 (1992): can a decree be dissolved in installments?
    • U. S. v. Fordice, pp. 750 (1992): application to universities
  • Limits on the Range of Permissible Remedies      
    • Milliken v. Bradley, p. 741 (1974)
      • when can a remedy encompass more than one school system?
      • what if the state as such is found guilty of segregative acts affecting individual schools?
    • Missouri v. Jenkins (I), p. 744 (1990)
      • if an effective remedy requires substantial improvements in facilities, can the district be required to impose a tax to finance them?
      • can it do so, if the tax to be imposed exceeds the district's taxing powers under state law?
    •  Missouri v. Jenkins (III), p. 748 (1995)
      • can a remedy for intra-district segregation include measures designed to attract students from neighboring districts?
      • can achievement scores be used as a criterion of remedial success?