This summary provides the high-level information from the document in 3 sentences: The city of Davis is a growing community with one fire department that still has a small-town feel but is growing due to immigrants drawn to the service economy. Two firefighters, Doug and Sam, passed the exam for promotion with the highest scores but the city only added Sam to the certification list, citing the need for more minority candidates. Sam has filed a claim of racial discrimination against the city under Title VII for not adding Doug to the certification list.

1. This is the city of Davis: a growing community with just one
fire department. The city still has a small-town feel, but its
growth is largely due to a steady stream of immigrants drawn by
the service economy. Diffusing the racial tension in Davis has
become one of the City Council's top priorities.
Although it's not clear in the story whether an associate’s
degree is a precondition for taking the exam, in your opinion,
should a degree be a requirement to sit for the exam?
[removed]Yes[removed]No
Why or why not?
Both firefighters passed the exam and earned the first and
second highest scores, respectively. Now they wait to hear
whether they've been added to the certification list. Only
Firefighters whose names are on the certification list are
eligible for promotion.
Based on the fact that Doug and Sam earned the first and second
highest test scores, is it a reasonable assumption that the city of
Davis will add Doug and Sam to the certification list?
[removed]Yes[removed]No
Why or why not?
The city of Davis adds Sam’s name to the certification list.
However, they didn't add Doug's name, citing inadequate
numbers of minority candidates being in line for promotion
from the testing. Sam filed a claim of racial discrimination at
the EEOC under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

2. In its defense, the City claimed that adding Sam’s name to the
certification list would have subjected it to liability to
minorities for “disparate impact.” In response Sam pointed out
that the Department enjoyed generally harmonious race
relations, and that no prior, credible claim of discrimination had
been filed against it in several decades.
Can the City successfully defend itself on the basis of
"disparate impact?"
[removed]Yes[removed]No
Why or why not?
Under what circumstances may racial discrimination be proved
by "disparate impact?"