Law & Courts

Education and the Supreme Court: The 2002-03 Term

July 09, 2003 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

It was another significant year for education at the U.S. Supreme Court. In contrast to last term, when the court addressed K-12 issues such as private school vouchers, drug testing of extracurricular participants, and the privacy of education records, two higher education cases—both dealing with affirmative action—were the most closely watched by educators.

Here are capsule summaries of the education-related cases decided by the high- court in its 2002-2003 term. (Opinions require Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)

14TH AMENDMENT

Consideration of race in college admissions

Grutter v. Bollinger (No. 02- 241) and Gratz v. Bollinger (No. 02- 516)

The court ruled 5-4 in Grutter that educational diversity is a compelling governmental interest that justified the University of Michigan law school’s consideration of race in seeking a “critical mass” of underrepresented minority students. But the court held 6-3 in Gratz that Michigan’s undergraduate system of awarding points toward admission to minority applicants violated the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection of the law.

CHILDREN’S INTERNET PROTECTION ACT

Federal requirement for Web filters in public libraries

United States v. American Library Association (No. 02-361)

The court ruled 6-3 to uphold a federal law that requires public libraries receiving federal technology funding to install filtering software to block obscenity, child pornography, and, for minors, other material deemed harmful to them. The same law applies to federally financed Internet connections in school classrooms and libraries, but the school provision wasn’t challenged in this case.

GAY RIGHTS

State prohibition of same-sex sodomy

Lawrence v. Texas (02-102)

The court’s 6-3 ruling invalidating a Texas criminal law against same-sex sexual conduct, with five justices voting to overrule a 1986 decisions that backed sodomy laws, is being hailed by some educators as an important step in eliminating anti-gay bias in schools.

FALSE CLAIMS ACT

Liability of local governments

Cook County V. United States ex rel. Chandler (No. 01-1572)

A unanimous court ruled that local governments, such as cities and school districts, may be sued under the False Claims Act, a Civil War-era statute designed to root out fraud in federal contracts. The court held that it was clear when the law was enacted in 1863 that local governments were considered persons for the purposes of certain lawsuits.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993

States not immune from suits by their employees

Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs (No. 01-1368)

In a 6-3 ruling, the court said Congress was within its authority in abrogating states’ 11th Amendment immunity from lawsuits when it passed the medical-leave law. The ruling has implications for school districts in at least three states— California, Maryland, and North Carolina—where districts have been ruled to be arms of the state for 11th Amendment purposes.

SONNY BONO COPYRIGHT TERM EXTENSIONS ACT OF 1998

Constitutionality of 20-year extension of copyright protections

Eldred v. Ashcroft (No. 01-618)

The court upheld a 1998 action by Congress to extend copyright protection by an additional 20 years in most cases. Internet publishers had objected that the law would make it more difficult to make classic works of literature and art available to students online. But textbook publishers joined others in the traditional creative community in defending the copyright extension. The court’s 7-2 decision said the extension violates neither the U.S. Constitution’s copyright clause nor the First Amendment.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

State effort to extend statute of limitations on sex crimes

Stogner v. California (No. 01-1757)

In a decision with implications for cases of sexual abuse of students by educators, as well as the sex-abuse scandals of the Roman Catholic Church, the court struck down a California law that had extended the statute of limitations in certain cases where alleged victims of child sex abuse came forward years after the crimes. In a 5-4 ruling, the court said that while the state’s interest in prosecuting child sex-abuse cases was important, the law nonetheless violated the U.S. Constitution’s “ex post facto” clause, which prohibits laws with retroactive effects.

Related Tags:

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Tech Is Everywhere. But Is It Making Schools Better?
Join us for a lively discussion about the ways that technology is being used to improve schools and how it is falling short.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Law & Courts How a Court Ruling on a School’s Admission Policy Could Impact Others
Legal experts say a coming U.S. Supreme Court decision on race in college admissions could be relevant for the magnet school's policy.
8 min read
James Pan, the parent of an eighth-grader, speaks about a lawsuit he and other parents filed against the Fairfax County School Board over its plans to change the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, an elite public schools regularly ranked as one of the nation's best on Nov. 5, 2020 in Fairfax, Va.
James Pan, the parent of an 8th grader in Fairfax, Va., speaks Nov. 5, 2020, about a lawsuit he and other parents filed against the Fairfax County district over its plans to change the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
Matthew Barakat/AP
Law & Courts Biden Administration Urges High Court to Reject Case on Legal Status of Charter Schools
The case about whether a North Carolina charter school is a "state actor" when it enforces its dress code is being watched closely.
4 min read
This artist sketch depicts Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, right, presenting an argument before the Supreme Court, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, in Washington.
U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar, shown in a November 2021 sketch arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, has filed a brief urging the justices not to take up a closely watched case about the legal status of charter schools.
Dana Verkouteren via AP
Law & Courts Appeals Court Upholds Admissions Policy at Elite Virginia High School
Critics say the new admissions policy discriminates against highly qualified Asian Americans.
3 min read
Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Erin Wilcox speaks at a news conference outside the federal courthouse on March 10, 2021, in Alexandria, Va., where her organization filed a lawsuit against Fairfax County's school board, alleging discrimination against Asian Americans over its revised admissions process for the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, upheld the constitutionality of a new admissions policy at the elite public high school in Virginia that critics say discriminates against highly qualified Asian Americans.
Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Erin Wilcox speaks at a news conference outside the federal courthouse on March 10, 2021, in Alexandria, Va., where her organization filed a lawsuit against Fairfax County's school board, alleging discrimination against Asian Americans over its revised admissions process for the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, upheld the constitutionality of a new admissions policy at the elite public high school in Virginia that critics say discriminates against highly qualified Asian Americans.
Matthew Barakat/AP
Law & Courts District That Restricted Access to Over 100 Books Sued by Publisher, Free Speech Group
Penguin Random House, PEN America, and several banned book authors are suing a Florida school district over removing and restricting books.
6 min read
Jennifer Wilson, a Largo High School English teacher, wears a shirt against banning books at the Pinellas County School Board meeting in Largo, Fla., on Feb. 14, 2023. In Florida, some schools have covered or removed books under a new law that requires an evaluation of reading materials and for districts to publish a searchable list of books where individuals can then challenge specific titles.
Jennifer Wilson, a Largo High School English teacher, wears a shirt against banning books at the Pinellas County School Board meeting in Largo, Fla., on Feb. 14, 2023. In Florida, some schools have covered or removed books under a new law that requires an evaluation of reading materials and for districts to publish a searchable list of books where individuals can then challenge specific titles.
Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times via AP