42.9k views
1 vote
what was the constitutional standing was after michigan vs grutter constitutional unless it can be proved that race impacted the admission no quotas

User Aztaroth
by
8.1k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The Grutter vs. Bollinger case upheld affirmative action in college admissions, allowing race to be used as a 'plus factor' under strict scrutiny, without using quotas or rigid point systems. It was deemed constitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment, aiming for diversity in the student body, yet was later countered in Michigan by a state referendum banning such practices.

Step-by-step explanation:

The constitutional standing following the Grutter vs. Bollinger case signifies that affirmative action policies in university admissions are constitutional if they meet certain criteria. Specifically, the United States Supreme Court's decision in this case approved the use of race as a "plus factor" in admissions processes to achieve a diverse student body, which is seen as a compelling interest. The Grutter decision, while allowing schools to consider race as one of several factors in admissions, clarified that policies must be narrowly tailored and must not incorporate quotas or rigid point systems based on race, as previously disallowed by the Bakke decision and the Gratz v. Bollinger case.

In 2003, the decision in Grutter vs. Bollinger rendered a closely contested 5-4 verdict, with the majority justifying that the law school's goal of achieving a critical mass of underrepresented students was within constitutional bounds under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. However, affirmative action practices must have a "logical endpoint," indicated by Justice O'Connor to predictably be around 25 years from the decision. Following these events, public referendum in Michigan led to the state banning affirmative action in state education, directly countering the ruling's effect within the state.

The Grutter vs. Bollinger case has had a lasting impact on affirmative action discussions and policies across the United States. Subsequent cases like Fisher v. University of Texas, which revisited the legitimacy and implementation of race-based admissions policies, further elaborate on this ongoing discourse.

User Thorsten Karrer
by
8.8k points