In this 1979 lawsuit, the ACLU represented parents of elementary school students within the boundaries of Sequoia Union High School District and in Palo Alto Unified School District who wanted to the schools to submit to the court "a reasonably feasible plan" to "eliminate or alleviate" racially segregated schools within these districts. This consisted of eight elementary school districts. 18 petitioners were willing to add their names to the lawsuit, on behalf of 21 children, most of whom resided in either San Mateo or Santa Clara county.

The parents' petition states: "For at least five years past and continuing to the present, racially segregated schools exist in the respondent school districts. Out of a total of approximately thirteen thousand students attending elementary schools within the boundaries of the SEQUOIA UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, approximately ten thousand non-minority [sic] students attend schools which are predominantly non-minority [sic] and approximately three thousand minority [sic] students attend schools which are predominantly minority [sic]. (P) A comparable situation exists in the Palo Alto Unified School District. Thus both non-minority[sic] and minority [sic] students are racially isolated and deprived of an integrated educational experience.” They proposed a proportional racial quota system. Also at issue here is the question of intentional or unintentional school segregation, and its impact on students. California also mandates the "alleviation or elimination" of segregation where it exists. The court quotes another case, which stated: "The right to an equal opportunity for education and the harmful consequences of segregation require that school boards take steps, insofar as reasonably feasible, to alleviate racial imbalance in schools regardless of its cause.” Also relevant is the fact "that the state has the power, although it may delegate it locally, to form, dissolve, and transfer territory among school districts without the necessity of local elections." They also question the appropriateness of judicial intervention in this process, if "alleviation of racial imbalance" could not be achieved through other means. They seek "reasonably feasible steps" to eliminate these barriers to integrated learning. This complex case reversed the judgement of the trial court, and requested that the parents add their childrens' names as petitioners.