Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court decision in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) was significant because it addressed the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The case centered around the University of California, Davis, which had set aside 16 seats in each entering medical school class for minority applicants. Bakke, a white male, was denied admission to the medical school twice despite having higher test scores and grades than many of the admitted minority candidates.
The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the use of racial quotas in college admissions was unconstitutional, but upheld the use of affirmative action in certain circumstances. The court held that race could be used as one factor among many in the admissions process to achieve diversity, but that strict racial quotas were not permissible. The decision was significant because it established the principle that race could be considered in college admissions as one factor among many, but that quotas could not be used to give an unfair advantage to minority candidates. It also highlighted the tensions and debates surrounding affirmative action and equal protection under the law.