Final answer:
Legal discrimination by the government, such as age restrictions on smoking and drinking, and requirements for driver's licenses or college admissions, is permissible when it serves public interests or the institutions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of legal discrimination touches on the ways in which government policies can distinguish between groups or individuals based on certain criteria, even under the equal protection clause. For instance, age restrictions on activities like smoking and drinking are forms of legal discrimination that are justified by concerns for public health and safety. Similarly, when it comes to obtaining a driver's license, the government requires individuals to meet age, knowledge, practical skills, and vision requirements to ensure that only those capable of driving safely are allowed on the roads.
In the realm of education, policies may also appear discriminatory. Some colleges and universities have selective admission policies requiring a high school diploma, SAT/ACT scores, or a certain GPA. These institutions argue that such criteria are necessary to ensure that students are prepared for the rigors of higher education. While these cases of legal discrimination seem at odds with the idea of equal protection, they are permissible because they serve legitimate governmental interests and are designed to apply uniformly to everyone who meets the set criteria, rather than being arbitrary or capricious.