Final answer:
The Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action principles in the cases of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke in 1978 and Gratz v. Bollinger in 2003.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court ruled against some of the basic principles of affirmative action in two major cases: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke in 1978 and Gratz v. Bollinger in 2003. In the Bakke case, the Court declared that racial quotas violated equal protection, but upheld the continuation of affirmative action plans. The Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action principles in the cases of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke in 1978 and Gratz v. Bollinger in 2003.
In the Gratz case, the Court ruled that the University of Michigan's point system for admissions discriminated against white students. These cases demonstrate the ongoing debate over affirmative action and the need to balance diversity goals with fairness.