Schools failed to prove "that there is no other way than individual racial classifications to avoid racial isolation in their school districts."

Writes Chief Justice Roberts in "a historic ruling on race in public policy":

[T]he Supreme Court divided 5-4 on Thursday in striking down voluntary integration plans in the public schools of Seattle and Louisville. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., wrote the majority opinion in the combined cases.

MORE: From SCOTUSblog:

The Chief Justice, in his oral announcement of the ruling, insisted that the Court was remaining faithful to Brown v. Board of Education in barring public school districts from assigning students on the basis of race.

Justice Kennedy recited from his separate opinion, in which he declined to join the Roberts opinion as it discussed the lack of a compelling interest in race-based preferences. The Chief Justice's opinion notes that Seattle was never officially segregated by race, and that Louisville is no longer under a court order to desegregate its once-segregated system.

AND: Here's the opinion. I won't be able to read this for a few hours, so please check out the other blogs or discuss the case in the comments. I think it is very important.