| On the last day of the 2006-2007 Supreme | | | | the way back to 1980. He stated that at some |
| Court, Chief Justice John Roberts announced a | | | | point in the future the Chicago Schools may |
| decision that will inevitably stir up | | | | ask to have the decree dissolved but states |
| diversity issues within schools across the | | | | "'the question is when". Rock also said that |
| nation, and the Chicago Schools. It will most | | | | the Supreme Court ruling only affects how the |
| certainly change the way most school systems, | | | | Chicago Schools run their programs after the |
| including those within the Chicago Schools, | | | | decree is dissolved. That may not be until |
| run their magnet programs. And it will affect | | | | the fall of 2008. This is when the |
| how they decide which students to steer | | | | application process will begin for the 2009 |
| towards, and to accept into, each program. | | | | school year. In the meantime Chicago Schools' |
| | | | magnets will continue to use the same |
| The decision decried racial balancing in | | | | criteria for admittance into the programs. |
| schools where race is used for magnet | | | | |
| programs. Many of the magnets within the | | | | Administrators say that Chicago Schools use |
| Chicago Schools use race as a factor in | | | | race as a determining factor to keep schools |
| accepting students into their programs. There | | | | racially diverse. Not as a means to |
| is one group of magnets in the Chicago | | | | segregation. The Supreme Court ruling does |
| Schools that selects students based | | | | not disallow the Chicago Schools from using |
| completely on racially weighted lotteries. | | | | race. It simply states that a valid and |
| The students' applications are sorted | | | | compelling reason must be given for doing so. |
| according to race, and then drawn in | | | | In the Chicago Schools these reasons often |
| lotteries. This is meant to achieve racial | | | | include ensuring racial diversity in the many |
| diversity. Acceptance into other magnet | | | | areas where it doesn't exist. |
| programs is based on grades, test scores, | | | | |
| academic achievement, and extracurricular | | | | Rock doesn't feel that the Chicago Schools |
| involvement. Race is used as a minimal | | | | will eliminate magnet programs in order to |
| determining factor. | | | | avoid litigation, however, there are those on |
| | | | the Supreme Court who feel that many school |
| Some administrators in the Chicago Schools | | | | systems nationwide may begin to dissolve |
| fear that this threatens the legacy of Brown | | | | their magnet programs to avoid litigation and |
| v. Board of Education; the decision in which | | | | its ensuing costs. The Chicago Schools may |
| segregation based on color was denounced. | | | | choose to use race as a way to determine |
| | | | where to build schools to ensure this |
| Patrick Rock, the attorney for Chicago | | | | diversity, how to fund schools in certain |
| Schools, stated that the decision will only | | | | areas, and which programs to steer students |
| affect Chicago Schools if and when a federal | | | | towards- based more on their talents and |
| justice agrees to release them from a | | | | achievements and not solely to fill a certain |
| desegregation consent decree which dates all | | | | percentage of racial mix. |