Board of Education of San Diego Unified School District v. Superior Court

For over two decades, the superior court has supervised San Diego Unified School District’s voluntary integration plan. In August 1996, the court fixed January 1, 2000, as the date court supervision would end. A year later the court modified its order to end supervision on July 1, 1998, if article I, section 31 of the California Constitution (Section 31), added by initiative in 1996, were upheld as constitutional.

In this proceeding in mandamus, the Board of Education of the San Diego Unified School District (District) asks the modified order be vacated on the ground Section 31 does not apply to its integration plan. District predicts $50 million it anticipates in state and federal integration funds could be jeopardized as a result of the court’s decision to expedite the end of its supervisory function.

The issue presented is a narrow one. Did the trial court err in accelerating the date on which court supervision of District’s integration program ends? Contrary to District’s and real party in interest Kari Carlin’s (Carlin class) assertions, resolution of this question does not turn on an interpretation of Section 31. In modifying the order at issue here, the trial…