A conservative legal group that Interior Secretary Gale Norton used to work for is challenging Indian teacher training programs at four universities.

William Perry Pendley, president and chief legal officer of the Denver-based Mountain States Legal Foundation (http://www.mountainstateslegal.org), said the programs violate the U.S. Constitution. He told The Salt Lake Tribune his argument is based on two affirmative action cases recently decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Pendley wrote letters to the University of Utah, California's Humboldt State University, Montana State University and the University of Oregon.

Get the Story:
Indian-teacher-training program attacked (The Salt Lake Tribune 2/12)

Get the Decision:
Grutter v. Bollinger | Gratz v. Bollinger

Oral Arguments:
MP3: Excerpt | Transcript: Grutter v. Bollinger | Transcript: Gratz v. Bollinger | Real Audio: Both Hearings

Amicus Briefs:
Tribes in Michigan and Wisconsin | U-Mich minority student law associations | New Mexico minority bar associations

Relevant Documents:
Supreme Court Docket Sheet No. 02-241 | Brief: Grutter | Brief: University of Michigan | Brief: Department of Justice

Holdings Below:
Appeals Court: GRUTTER v. BOLLINGER, No. 01-1447, 01-1516 (May 14, 2002) | District Court: GRUTTER v. BOLLINGER (March 27, 2001)

Relevant Links:
University of Michigan, Admissions site - http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions
Center for Individual Rights - http://www.cir-usa.org

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