Supreme Court upholds Michigan’s affirmative action ban – The U.S. Supreme Court this week upheld the state of Michigan’s ban on affirmative action, which does not allow public universities to consider race, gender, ethnicity, or national origin when accepting new students. Six justices voted in favor of upholding the ban, and two against. Justice Sonia Sotomayor emphatically protested the decision, with a statement in which she declared that “race still matters.” Valeria Fernández interviewed civil rights attorney Daniel Ortega in Arizona about the significance of the Supreme Court’s decision.
Children call for immigration reform for parents – Calling for urgent immigration reform before the end of June, immigrant-rights organizations announced unprecedented acts of civil disobedience. A first demonstration was held by the children of some of the immigrants who helped rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and who now call for a similar gesture of generosity. José López Zamorano reports from Washington, D.C.
Biliteracy programs promoted in California – In six states, a Seal of Biliteracy is now available to high school graduates who can show they can speak, read and write in more than one language. California was the first state to offer the Seal, and now a coalition of community organizations and educators seek to encourage schools to set up bilingual and dual immersion programs. They argue that bilingual graduates are better prepared to work in a global economy and value other cultures. Our correspondent in Los Angeles, Rubén Tapia, reports from an elementary school in a district that was the first to design what is now the Seal of Biliteracy.
