The Supreme Court announced that it will hear a pair of cases involving racial preferences in its next term--the most important such cases since its ruling on the University of Michigan's admissions system declared "racial diversity" a compelling interest justifying discrimination.

The Supreme Court announced that it will hear a pair of cases involving racial preferences in its next term--the most important such cases since its ruling on the University of Michigan's admissions system declared "racial diversity" a compelling interest justifying discrimination. There are two potentially significant differences this time: First, the cases involve K-12 education; second, the makeup of the Supreme Court has changed (most significantly because of the departure of wobbly Sandra Day O'Connor and her replacement by Samuel Alito). Interestingly, the lower courts in these cases both accepted race-based plans to assign students to schools, so there's no conflict between circuit courts to clear up. And the justices tend not to hear cases that they wish merely to affirm. But nothing can be taken for granted. The Bush administration should commit itself to stopping the hard bigotry of racial bean-counting by submitting amicus briefs that correct its shameful capitulation in the Michigan cases.