By Ivan Sanchez
WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Supreme Court recently abstained from ruling on three cases that could have significant impacts on race-neutral admissions, military readiness, and LGBTQ rights.
Since the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court has undergone a noticeable rightward shift. From curtailing affirmative action to terminating nationwide protections for reproductive freedom, the court has demonstrated a proclivity for contentious cases.
In the Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board, a 4th Circuit panel determined that a magnet school’s lottery system was race-neutral and thus permissible. The Virginia magnet school implemented a lottery drawing from all schools in Fairfax County, resulting in increased Black and Hispanic enrollment. The Supreme Court declined to intervene, allowing the 4th Circuit’s ruling to stand. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented, expressing their inclination to strike down the policy.
In another instance, the court permitted a decision to stand that upheld the use of affirmative action in West Point and other military academies. However, remarks in the brief decision suggested that the basis for the ruling was procedural, rather than substantive. Still, it is a good sign that the court is not willing to gut military readiness to attack affirmative action.
Justice Alito criticized a case involving the dismissal of jurors based on their religious objections to homosexuality in a Missouri workplace harassment lawsuit. He argued in his dissent that disqualifying jurors due to religious beliefs “implicates fundamental rights.” Nevertheless, the court upheld the lower court’s decision. Justice Alito has been one of the most vocal on the court, along with Justice Clarence Thomas in revisiting pro-LGBTQ rulings from the past.
With numerous contentious cases awaiting review, many of the forthcoming rulings are expected to provoke controversy. The overarching question revolves around whether the court will persist in its rightward trajectory or transition towards a center-right stance.
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