Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978),
was a landmark Supreme Court decision upholding affirmative action. It
found diversity in the classroom to be a compelling state interest and
allowed race to be one of several factors in college admission policy,
but rejected specific quotas, such as the 16 out of 100 seats set aside
for minority students by the UC Davis School of Medicine. Although the
court had outlawed segregation in schools, it had not resolved the
legality of voluntary affirmative action programs initiated by
universities. Proponents deemed such programs necessary to make up for
past discrimination, while opponents believed they violated the Equal
Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The case fractured the
court: the nine justices issued a total of six opinions. The judgment of
the court was written by Justice Lewis Powell, and two different blocs
of four justices joined various parts of Powell's opinion. The decision
had little practical effect on most affirmative action programs. In 2003
the court upheld Powell's position in a majority opinion in Grutter v.
Bollinger.
Read more:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regents_of_the_University_of_California_v._Bakke>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1752:
Alaungpaya, a village chief in Upper Burma, founded the
Konbaung Dynasty; by the time of his death, he had unified all of
Myanmar, and driven out the French and the British.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaungpaya>
1768:
A group of Polish nobles established the Bar Confederation to
defend the internal and external independence of the Polish–Lithuanian
Commonwealth against Russian influence and against King Stanisław II
Augustus.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Confederation>
1944:
The Admiralty Islands campaign during the Pacific War of World
War II began when American forces assaulted Los Negros Island, the
third largest of the Admiralty Islands.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_Islands_campaign>
1960:
Morocco's deadliest earthquake struck the city of Agadir,
killing at least 12,000 people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Agadir_earthquake>
2012:
Construction of Tokyo Skytree, the world's tallest tower and
second-tallest structure, was completed.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Skytree>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
leap day:
The extra day in a leap year, currently February 29th in countries that
use the Gregorian calendar and February 24th in the few communities
using the Julian calendar.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/leap_day>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The Church is indeed, in its real Intent, An Assembly where
Nothing but Friendship is meant; And the utter Extinction of Foeship and
Wrath By the Working of Love in the Strength of its Faith. This gives it
its holy and catholic Name, And truly confirms its apostolic Claim;
Showing what the One Saviour's One Mission had been: "Go and teach all
the World," — every Creature therein. In the Praise ever due to the
Gospel of Grace Its Universality holds the first Place.
--John Byrom
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Byrom>