Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

      Thirty-five year old Allan Bakke applied to University of California Medical School at Davis twice and was rejected both times.The school reserved sixteen places for each incoming freshmen class of a hundred for the qualified minorities. Bakke’s qualifications exceeded many of the minority students that applied in both the years. Bakk concluded that he was excluded from admission just based on race. Winning by a 5 to 4 vote, Bakke won his case on equal protection.

     However after reviewing this case, the University of California did violate the Fourteenth Amendment and the Civil Rights, however, in some ways, they also didn’t violate it. Any racial quota system that is supported by the government does violate the Civil Rights Act. I think it was fair to have the Medical School accept Bakke’s applications, especially after what they did. Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr, argued that the ridge use of racial quotas as employed at the school violated the Fourteenth Amendment as well. However, that being said, Powell also argues the use of race was acceptable as one of several admission criteria. Given this situation, the Court decided to minimize white opposition for equality while extending gains for racial minorities through the admissions process. I believe this was a fair enough way to handle this case’s predicament.