Valentine v. Smith

LAY, Chief Judge.

Ms. Bonnie Valentine, a white college instructor, appeals from a judgment in an employment discrimination suit brought by her against officials of Arkansas State University. Valentine’s complaint alleges that she is entitled to relief under 42 U.S.C. § 1981; 42 U.S.C. § 2000d; and the Fourteenth Amendment. This appeal raises important questions about permissible affirmative action under federal employment discrimination statutes and the Fourteenth Amendment.1

I. Background.

Arkansas State University, like many other colleges and universities, excluded blacks for most of its…