Philadelphia Inquirer: A racially charged U.S. Supreme Court battle over New Haven firefighter promotions plays out every day in the city’s Dixwell Fire Station.
New Haven threw out a set of 2003 promotion exams because not enough minority candidates qualified. A group of 20 firefighters – one Hispanic and the rest white, and led by Frank Ricci – alleged reverse discrimination and sued. The controversy has taken on added significance because Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was on an appeals panel that ruled for New Haven.
The Supreme Court is due to rule tomorrow in the case of Ricci v. DeStefano, and the Sotomayor angle will bring the ruling extra attention.