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Justice Department, Education Find Berkeley Law Title VI Violations

9/10/2026

12 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Justice Department and Education Department announced Berkeley Law discriminated against Asian and white applicants.
The joint probe said the school’s practices violate Title VI and the 2023 SFFA Supreme Court ruling.
Berkeley Law continued using race, targeted essays, and primary-identity grouping after the ruling.
The agencies warned they will investigate, negotiate settlements, or sue if Berkeley Law does not comply.

History

Historical Context

After Brown v. Board (1954) and Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act opened public education to minorities, universities created race-based quotas such as UC Davis’s 16-seat program. The Supreme Court’s 1978 Bakke decision banned those quotas while permitting limited affirmative action. Subsequent rulings (Grutter 2003, Fisher 2013, Students for Fair Admissions 2023) shaped today’s federal challenge to Berkeley Law’s race-focused essays.

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Story summary

The U.S. Justice Department and Education Department announced Berkeley Law discriminated against Asian and white applicants.
The joint probe said the school’s practices violate Title VI and the 2023 SFFA Supreme Court ruling.
Berkeley Law continued using race, targeted essays, and primary-identity grouping after the ruling.
The agencies warned they will investigate, negotiate settlements, or sue if Berkeley Law does not comply.

1 / 2