The Supreme Court leaves in place the admissions plan at an elite Virginia public high school

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has left in place the admissions policy at an elite public high school in Virginia, despite claims that it discriminates against highly qualified Asian Americans. The federal appeals court in Richmond had upheld the revamped admissions policy at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, frequently cited among the best in the nation. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the order Tuesday rejecting an appeal from parents. The appeals court essentially ruled that “intentional racial discrimination is constitutional so long as it is not too severe,” Alito wrote in his dissent. The high court’s action followed its June decision striking down admissions policies at colleges and universities that took account of race.