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Use of Race Uncertain for Schools

Washington

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision sharply limiting the use of race in assigning students to schools has led many educators to recommit themselves to strive for racial diversity in K-12 education, but has left them speculating about which tactics will withstand legal challenges.

“Like most school districts, we’re still rereading and trying to better understand what the Supreme Court is saying,” Miguel Marquez, the general counsel of the San Francisco school district, said last week. “A consensus is developing that clearly they have not closed the door to race. But the question is, how open is the door?”

Goodwin Liu, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said the door was open just enough for districts with the political will to do so to continue to attempt race-conscious...