CIR sues NYC to end magnet school quota

CIR filed suit to end a racial quota at prestigious Mark Twain Intermediate School, a New York City magnet school. The relic of a 30-plus-year-old desegregation decree, the 60% white – 40% minority quota at the school now limits the number of minority students who can attend the school. Due to populations shifts, the district now must lower entrance examination scores for white applicants in order to meet the quota.

CIR is representing Anjan Rau and Kanchan Katapadi, Asian Indian parents of three children. Their eldest child, Nikita Rau, was denied admission to Mark Twain last year. White students were admitted that year with scores as low as 77. Nikita and other minority students were required to score 84.4 or better to be admitted.

After months of silence, New York officials announced shortly after the case was filed that they would move to lift the 1974 desegregation order. We await the motion.