The U.S. Supreme Court case Missouri v. Jenkins in 1994 revolved around the issue of racial segregation in Kansas City's public schools and whether federal courts had the authority to order tax increases to fund desegregation efforts. The District Court initially ordered a property tax increase, which was upheld by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that it was necessary for achieving desegregation goals. However, when appealed to the Supreme Court, they reversed this decision with a 5-4 majority ruling stating that federal courts did not have such power under the U.S Constitution as it violated principles of state sovereignty and separation of powers between states and judiciary branches. This landmark case highlighted limitations on judicial power regarding school funding issues while also emphasizing ongoing struggles over educational equality.

In the dissenting opinion for Missouri v. Jenkins, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the majority's decision to uphold a district court order requiring state funding for salary increases and facilities improvements in Kansas City schools was misguided. He contended that this ruling would not necessarily lead to improved educational outcomes or reduce racial segregation, which were the original goals of desegregation litigation. Instead, he believed it could exacerbate existing inequalities by encouraging white flight from urban areas and creating an over-reliance on judicial intervention in education policy decisions. Furthermore, he criticized the majority’s assumption that black students can only achieve academic success when surrounded by white peers as being rooted in notions of racial inferiority.