Supreme Court to Review Lawsuit Claiming Race Bias in Maryland Middle‑School Admissions

The U.S. Supreme Court scheduled a hearing on a lawsuit that says Montgomery County, Maryland’s selective middle‑school admissions discriminate against Asian‑American applicants. The case, filed by the Association for Education Fairness, argues that a policy meant to raise Black and Latino enrollment harms Asian‑American students. The high court will first decide whether the plaintiffs have shown enough evidence of discrimination to let the case move forward; a win would send it back to a lower court for a new trial.

What Happened

Four magnet middle schools in the affluent suburb of Montgomery County changed their admissions a decade ago after hiring consultants. The new rules gave extra weight to the poverty level of a student’s elementary school, which lowered the share of Asian‑American children, who were concentrated in wealthier schools. The parents sued in 2020. After the suit, the district dropped an extra in‑person exam and switched to a lottery based on standardized‑test scores, but students from richer schools now need higher scores to qualify.

Reaction

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower‑court dismissal, saying Asian‑American applicants were still admitted at rates above their share of the applicant pool, citing a similar Virginia case. The parents’ lawyers counter that courts should look beyond simple percentages and consider intent. The school district defends its “Pandemic Plan” as a race‑neutral, color‑blind lottery and asks the Supreme Court to decline the case.

Context

The hearing comes three years after the Court struck down affirmative‑action bans in college admissions, highlighting ongoing legal battles over how race can be used in public‑school placement.