Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge Against Elite Virginia School’s Admissions Policy
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from a group of parents and students who argued that a revised admissions policy at a prestigious Virginia public school discriminates against Asian American applicants.
The case centered on Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a top-ranked magnet school in the Alexandria suburbs of Washington, D.C., where Asian American students currently make up a significant portion of the student body. The plaintiffs claimed the policy shift—intended to promote diversity—violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
By rejecting the appeal, the justices let stand a lower court ruling that found no constitutional violation, effectively preserving the school’s efforts to create a more inclusive student body. The decision also sidesteps a potential new limit on race-conscious considerations in education, leaving broader diversity policies untouched—for now.