Our Equality Before the Law Practices

Fighting Racial Discrimination in Public Education, Public Employment, and Government Contracting

It is immoral, unjust, and unconstitutional to treat individuals differently on the basis of race. PLF opposes all forms of racial discrimination by government, both overt and covert.

Jarod Thompson was a denied a seat in a Connecticut magnet school because he’s Black. The Equal Protection Clause was precisely designed to combat such blatant discrimination. The state’s policy was that at least 25% of students attending their world-class magnets must be white or Asian. The quota meant that the schools left seats empty that could otherwise have been filled by students like Jarod. His mother and several other Black and Hispanic families fought back with the help of PLF.

Ending Governmental Policies That Distribute Benefits Or Burdens Based On Sex

Favoring one sex over another fails to treat people as individuals. Sex-based civil rights laws, like Title IX, are abused when they are interpreted to permit or require sex-based discrimination. The correct way to enforce civil rights law is to prohibit rather than encourage sex discrimination.

16-year-old Dmitri Moua just wanted to participate in his high school’s dance team, but was banned because he is a boy. With PLF, he challenged Minnesota’s girls-only policy and won the right to compete in dance competitions.

Enforcing State Bans on Discrimination

Several states have banned racial discrimination and racial preferences in government. Nevertheless, some state and local government agencies have tried to undermine those bans by adopting policies that allow for race-based decision-making. PLF enforces these state bans in court when they are undermined or challenged.

State bans on discrimination

PLF secured a landmark victory before the California Supreme Court in Hi-Voltage Wire Works v. City of San Jose. The court held that San Jose’s policy of doling out contracts on the basis of race violated the California Constitution.