66. Should the court uphold the dress code?

Courts use three levels of scrutiny to analyze the constitutionality of government acts under equal protection. Under strict scrutiny, a law will be upheld if it is necessary to achieve a compelling government interest. The government must show there are no less restrictive or burdensome means of achieving its goal. Courts look at the actual reason the law was enacted. The government bears the burden of proof under strict scrutiny review. If a suspect classification or fundamental right is involved, the strict scrutiny standard will be applied and the action will be struck down unless the government proves it is necessary to achieve a compelling interest. Suspect classifications include race, national origin, and alienage.

Under intermediate scrutiny, a law will be upheld if it is substantially related to an important government purpose. The government's goal must be important and courts will look at the actual reason the law was enacted. The government bears the burden of proof under intermediate scrutiny. If a quasi-suspect classification is involved, the intermediate scrutiny standard will be applied. Quasi-suspect classifications include gender and nonmarital children.

Under rational basis review, a law will be upheld if it is rationally related to a state interest. Any conceivable legitimate purpose suffices, regardless of the actual purpose of the law. The challenger bears the burden of proof under rational basis review. Rational basis review involves alienage and all other classifications.

The mere fact that legislation or governmental action has a discriminatory effect is not sufficient to trigger strict or intermediate scrutiny. There must be intent to discriminate on the part of the government. Intent can be shown by: (i) facial discrimination; (ii) discriminatory application; or (iii) discriminatory motive.

Facial discrimination is a law that is discriminatory on its face and language. This type of law makes an explicit distinction between classes of persons. Discriminatory application means that although a law may appear to be neutral on its face, it will be applied in a different manner to different classes of persons. Finally, a discriminatory motive exists when action appears neutral on its face and in its application, but will have a disproportionate impact on a particular class of persons.

D is correct. The school dress code does not trigger any sort of higher level of scrutiny because it does not attempt to regulate any suspect or quasi-suspect classifications. It does not specifically target women; it requires that all students wear shorts that reach their knees. Because it does not make any specific classifications, it will be reviewed under the rational basis standard and will be upheld unless it bears no rational relationship to any legitimate government interest. The female students will not be able to overcome this standard, because the dress code has a rational relationship to the legitimate government interest in regulating student conduct.

A is incorrect. This answer choice describes the strict scrutiny standard, which only applies when a suspect classification is involved with the law. As explained above, the school's dress code does not affect any suspect classifications, so strict scrutiny would not apply.

B is incorrect. This answer choice describes the intermediate scrutiny standard, which only applies when a quasi-suspect classification is involved. This may seem like a tempting answer choice because the female students are challenging the dress code on the basis of their gender. However, the mere fact that the dress code has a discriminatory effect cannot trigger heightened scrutiny. The female students would need to prove that it is discriminatory on its face, application, or has a discriminatory motive. While female students are more likely to be affected by this particular dress code, that does not create a discriminatory application because the female students would also need to prove that the school board had a discriminatory intent in how they were applying the dress code.

C is incorrect. This answer reaches the correct answer with the wrong reasoning. It misstates the proper standard of scrutiny. As explained above, rational basis review, not strict scrutiny review, is the right level of scrutiny for the facts in this question.