Case Particulars

Tribunal

United States Supreme Court

Date Filed

September 22, 2023

Docket No.

23-170

Case Status

Amicus Brief Supporting Petitioner Filed; Petition for Certiorari denied February 20, 2024

Case Overview

The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (known as “TJ”), in Fairfax County, Virginia, is one of the best high schools in the country. But the “Coalition for TJ,” a group of TJ parents upset about a new admissions policy that was supposedly race-neutral, but that would (and did) cause Asian high school student admissions to plummet, sued TJ, and initially won the case in a Virginia federal district court.

But then, on May 23, 2023, a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (which covers Maryland, the Carolinas, and Virginia and West Virginia) reversed the district court 2-1, over a dissent by Judge Allison Jones Rushing.

Less than two months later, on August 21, 2023, the Coalition for TJ asked the Supreme Court to take the case.

And on September 22, 2023, the Equal Protection Project filed an amicus curiae, or “friend of the court” brief supporting the Coalition for TJ. Twelve other amicus briefs were also filed supporting Petitioner, but unfortunately in February 2024 the Supreme Court decided not to review the case, over a blistering dissent by Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas.