What I learned from Trial #4

For the fourth mock trial of our class, the other groups presented their cases from the Regents v. Bakke case of 1978. The case revolves around the rejection of Bakke from the university's medical school twice, to which Bakke argued violated the Fourteenth Amendment and Civil Rights Act. Bakke sued the school due to being denied acceptance twice, suggesting that affirmative action was the main factor behind his denial, as the school had racial "quotas" to be accepted. He believed that he was not accepted due to his skin color, as a spot at the school that easily could have been for him was saved for another due to race.

The Supreme Court took the case and made a 5-4 decision. The decision stated that race can be considered a factor for school applications, but having a racial quota violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. 

Regents v. Bakke

The college 100 spots for their enrollment into their medical school, and 16 of these spots were reserved for minorities. The Supreme Court ruled that these reserved spots were in violation of the Equal Protection Clause. 

Although Bakke believed this was the main reason he was rejected, he was in his 30's, which would have been far older than the average age group. Being several years behind and older may have put him at a disadvantage behind his classmates and skills. His rejection was based on many factors, including merit, age, race, and his interview.