Firefighter’s entrance exam

Sean, here’s your answer: It was a 2009 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a case involving New Haven, Conn., firefighters.

Reader Sean Sullivan asked about this article: Can you tell me what Supreme Court ruling Deputy Mayor Gillison was talking about? Also, who was the consultant and what qualifications does he have to get this sorted out properly?

Sean, here’s your answer: It was a 2009 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a case involving New Haven, Conn., firefighters.

The case, Ricci v. DeStefano, was decided by a 5-4 vote of the high court, and reversed an appeals court ruling that had included then-nominee, now Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

New Haven had set aside the results of a fire department promotion exam because no black firefighter scored well enough to be promoted, and the city feared a civil rights acts. Instead, 19 white firefighters sued, claiming racial discrimination. They persuaded the court majority that the setting aside of the exam results violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Here’s NPR’s coverage of the ruling.

And here’s the Wikipedia entry on the case.

Also, the city consultant has not yet been hired. A request for proposals has been made.