EJS signed on to the brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court by The Leadership Conference in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action (merged with Schuette v. Cantrell), which challenges the constitutionality of Michigan’s anti-affirmative action proposal. EJS authored the civil rights amicus brief in the 6th Circuit.
Schuette v. Cantrell is about reaffirming the constitutional principle that our democratic processes must be open and accessible to all citizens. The Court of Appeals held that Proposal 2, a Michigan ballot initiative, violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution because it creates a racially selective, two-tiered political process: It forces supporters of racial diversity to overcome more formidable obstacles than advocates of the consideration of legacy status, athletics, or virtually any other lawful factor in the admissions process. Download The Leadership Conference amicus brief.