2007年VOA标准英语-US Supreme Court Rejects School Integration Pro

By Brian Wagner
Miami
30 June 2007

Critics of racial desegregation plans in U.S. schools have welcomed a Supreme² Court decision Thursday blocking some school integration³ measures. In Miami, VOA's Brian Wagner reports that supporters of desegregation hope to draft new plans that will fit with the court's ruling.

lawsuits4 by parents in Louisville and Seattle challenging policies that use race to help determine where children go to school, 04 Dec 2006 file photo" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070704/1514160.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

A demonstrator holds up a sign in front of the Supreme Court as court heard arguments on lawsuits by parents in Louisville and Seattle challenging policies that use race to help determine where children go to school, 04 Dec 2006 file photo

In a five-to-four decision, the Supreme Court ruled that school officials in two cities could not use plans intended to increase racial diversity in the classroom. Parents of students in the cities of Louisville and Seattle had challenged the programs, saying they unfairly considered race to decide which school a student was allowed to attend.

Racial integration measures have been used in schools across the United States since the 1950s, in an effort to overcome decades of segregation¹ between white and black communities.

In the decision Thursday, Chief Justice John Roberts said the programs are unconstitutional because they were "directed only to racial balance, pure and simple." He then said "the way to stop racial discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating⁵ on the basis of race."

Ward⁶ Connerly, chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, said he supports the ruling.

"You cannot use an individual's race, and classify that person according to race, and then craft policies that take into account that person's race," he said.

Supporters of integration measures criticized the court's ruling, saying it will affect hundreds of school districts in addition to the two systems included in the court case. In a debate late Thursday, several Democratic presidential candidates rejected the decision and said the court was becoming too conservative under President Bush.

Indiana University law professor Kevin Brown said he was disappointed by the court's decision because he said it will reverse decades of progress in integrating U.S. schools.

"I think clearly the effect of this is going to be to continue to further the trend that has been going over the last 20 years of increasing the racial and ethnic⁷ segregation of our schools," he said.

Brown said the biggest impact of the ruling will be on schools in mostly white communities where officials sought to increase the share of minority students in the classroom.

He added there was some hope for integration measures, however, because of Justice Anthony Kennedy. Although he voted with the majority, Kennedy, in a separate opinion, suggested that he would support new plans to avoid racial isolation⁸ or re-segregation in schools.

School officials across the country are expected to closely read Kennedy's opinion for ways to draft new measures that will promote racial integration.

But Ward Connerly says it is a mistake for schools to insist on setting goals for racial diversity.

"The whole pursuit of racial diversity has been a failed pursuit," he said. "It has trumped⁹ educational achievement."

Connerly says black students especially have been suffering under the current policies. He says blacks are falling further behind whites in school achievement.

He says more attention should be focused on ways to improve the quality of schools in mostly black communities, and ensure that students finish their education and prepare for a career.

1 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

4 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

5 discriminating   

a.有辨别能力的

参考例句：

• Due caution should be exercised in discriminating between the two. 在区别这两者时应该相当谨慎。
• Many businesses are accused of discriminating against women. 许多企业被控有歧视妇女的做法。

6 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

9 trumped   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》