Court Opinion

ID: 9497343
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 16:49:06.163163+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:58:08.483725
License: Public Domain

WILLIAMS, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the result, given the arguments presented to us. I write separately to reiterate what the Supreme Court has made clear: “Although all governmental uses of race are subject to strict scrutiny, not all are invalidated by it.” Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306, 326-27, 123 S.Ct. 2325, 156 L.Ed.2d 304 (2003). The City of Chicago’s use of race in making promotional decisions is subject to strict scrutiny, meaning it is constitutional if necessary to fulfill a compelling government interest, so long as it is also narrowly tailored to further that interest. Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200, 227, 115 S.Ct. 2097, 132 L.Ed.2d 158 (1995). As my colleagues note, we have recognized on numerous occasions that a governmental agency has a compelling interest in remedying its past unlawful discrimination. See Majeske v. City of Chicago, 218 F.3d 816, 819 (7th Cir.2000); McNamara v. City of Chicago, 138 F.3d 1219, 1221 (7th Cir.1998); People Who Care v. Rockford Bd. of Educ., 111 F.3d 528, 535 (7th Cir.1997); Billish v. City of Chicago, 989 F.2d 890, 893 (7th Cir.1993) (en banc); see also Erwin v. Daley, 92 F.3d 521, 527 (7th Cir.1996) (“Courts have also held that a compelling state interest can be demonstrated by the use of statistical evidence of present discrimination plus a history of entry-level and promotional discrimination.” (citations omitted)).
Yet unlike the position it has taken in other cases, the City did not defend its actions on the basis that it was remedying past discrimination in the Chicago Fire Department. Cf., e.g., McNamara v. City of Chicago, 138 F.3d 1219 (7th Cir.1998) (finding that non-rank order promotions in Chicago Fire Department were justified by City’s past racial discrimination in employment of firefighters); Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 v. Washington, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20310, at *8 (N.D.Ill.Dec. 30, 1999) (defending non-rank order promotions as part of policy to remedy effects of past racial discrimination). Because the City made no argument that past discrimination was a factor in any decision related to the scoring of the 1986 examination, we are precluded from analyzing the case on this basis.
A nonremedial reason may also constitute a compelling interest supporting the use of race and ethnicity in employment decisions. For example, this court found that the Chicago Police Department had a compelling interest in having a diverse population at the rank of sergeant. Petit v. City of Chicago, 352 F.3d 1111, 1115 (7th Cir.2003); cf. Grutter, 539 U.S. at 329, 123 S.Ct. 2325 (finding law school had a compelling interest in a diverse student body). We similarly recognized an operational need for persons of different races in the corrections environment. Wittmer v. Peters, 87 F.3d 916, 919 (7th Cir.1996). In this case, however, the City did not argue that the pursuit of diversity constituted a compelling interest.
Based on the arguments presented to us, I concur in the result on the merits. I am in full agreement with the decision to vacate the damage awards.