News Features & Releases

My Summer: Liliana Garces

This is the second in a series of articles exploring the summer work of HGSE doctoral students.

When doctoral student Liliana Garces, a former attorney, had the chance this past summer to work with Professor Gary Orfield and the Civil Rights Project on a case about racial desegregation being litigated before the U.S. Supreme Court, it didn't take long for her to sign on.

"I feel honored to be a part of this historic effort," she said.

Honored, not only because she's "passionate" about social justice, she said, but also because she sees this case, which involves the voluntary racial desegregation policies of school districts in Seattle and Louisville, as "living up to the dream of Brown vs. Board of Education in our increasingly diverse society."

Garces explains that both districts currently consider a student's race when determining whether to grant a transfer request--in part to ensure that the schools remain racially integrated.

Research suggests that racially integrated schools enhance students' learning, promote cross-racial understanding, and increase the likelihood of high school graduation and college attendance. The schools in these cases argue that they are simply trying to achieve these benefits for their students. However, some families of students who were denied transfers filed suit arguing that their race should not preclude them from these very same benefits.

As part of her work on the case, Garces, along with fellow doctoral student Erica Frankenberg, studied the social science research that speaks to the factual questions before the Court, for briefs that will be filed in the cases.

"This allowed me to combine the two worlds of law and education in the context of advancing issues that I care about," Garces says.

Not only did this summer show Garces how she could continue her work for social justice as a graduate student, but solidified her passion for education.

"Educational policies that promote equity and diversity are crucial for furthering the vital role of schools in our society," she said.