Editor's note: Abigail Thernstrom is the vice chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. She is the author, most recently, of "Voting Rights and Wrongs: The Elusive Quest for Racially Fair Elections."

(CNN) - The Supreme Court has just agreed to take on the case of Fisher v. University of Texas. Abigail Fisher, a white woman, argues that she has been a victim of the university's race-conscious admission policies; the university contends that its drive for racial and ethnic diversity is educationally enriching - a benefit to all students.

Will the ugly discourse that generally characterizes debate over racially preferential policies disappear with the wave of a magic Supreme Court wand? It seems unlikely. The issue is a cat with many more than nine lives. It arrived in the early 1970s and, despite many attacks, some of which have taken the form of amendments to state constitutions, it has survived in pretty fine fettle.

The court will have only eight justices to hear the arguments. Elena Kagan, having been involved in the case as solicitor general in the Obama administration, has bowed out of participation. Her absence, however, leaves five justices likely to express at least some degree of skepticism about the racial preferences given to non-Asian minorities in the admissions process.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Abigail Thernstrom.

Los Angeles, California (CNN) –For the better part of a century, Hollywood High School has been known as the high school of the stars: Judy Garland, Carol Burnett, Sarah Jessica Parker and James Garner are among the famous alumni.

But Judy Garland might not recognize her old alma mater today.

When she attended Hollywood High in the 1930’s the student body was almost all white.

Today, it is predominantly Latino, and made up of teens whose families came to America from every corner of the world. “Hollywood has always struck me as a place where it doesn’t matter where you are from,” said Principal Jaime Morales, who immigrated from Nicaragua. “You are welcome here.”

School valedictorian Karla Samayoa’s parents fled political turmoil in El Salvador. Though she was born in America, she still feels a strong connection to her Salvadoran roots.

Here's what the editors of Schools of Thought are reading today:

NPR: What's Behind The Rise Of College Tuition?
As tuition around the country rises, many prospective college students are questioning whether what used to be an affordable investment is now worth the financial burden.

Schooled in Sports: Arne Duncan, Education Media Develop Case of Linsanity, Too
While Jeremy Lin is helping the New York Knicks win games on the basketball court, some people are hoping that the Harvard-educated basketball phenom can be a role model for kids in the classroom.

Denverpost.com: Denver turnaround schools show "unreal" improvement in students' math scores
The Denver Summit Schools Network consists of 11 new and turnaround schools. Students in the turnaround schools receive two hours of math instruction and tutorials per day and recent test scores show marked improvement in the subject.

News 13: New dress code in the works for Volusia teachers
A Florida school district and the local teacher's union are in agreement over one issue – the district needs a dress code for faculty members.

TBO.com: New program has kids help kids with social pressures
Students in the "I Care About Me" program attend group sessions that work towards raising their self-esteem.

The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case on the University of Texas' race-conscious admission policies.

If health care reform, illegal immigration crackdowns, voting rights and TV indecency were not enough, now the nine-member bench is poised to add to its high-profile docket, wading into the divisive, sea-change issue of state-mandated racial diversity and affirmative action. Oral arguments would be held this fall, ensuring the court - however it decides the appeal - will be a major campaign issue. A ruling however will not likely be issued until early 2013.

Editor’s Note:  Laura Dinehart is an assistant professor of early childhood education at Florida International University. Her research focuses on the development and early academic outcomes of children from birth to 5 years of age.

As a researcher in the field of early childhood education, I relish the idea of uncovering how factors in early childhood related to children, families, and schools, connect to children’s academic achievement once they enter school. As a parent, I often find it exasperating.

Take for example our recent findings of a study that looked at over 3,000 preschoolers in the state ofFlorida. We found that preschoolers’ early writing skills – their ability to copy letters, shapes, and numbers – significantly predicted both their grades and standardized test scores in second grade reading and math. As a researcher, this finding was important! Public schools all over the country are dropping handwriting from their curriculum and technology has taken over the need to write anything with pencil and paper. And while newspapers and media outlets highlight this work, parents all over the country are wondering, “Is this one more thing I have to work on with my child?”

As a parent of three young children, I get it. Parents spend time reading, counting, playing outside, doing puzzles, doing extracurricular activities, and finishing homework – now the handwriting too? Do our findings mean that kids with poor writing skills in preschool are doomed to fail? Of course not! In fact, every time I talk about these results, someone inevitably says, “I had horrible handwriting when I was a kid and I did really well in school.” At this point, our study has prompted fewer answers and more questions. Do the findings overwhelmingly demonstrate that teaching handwriting in preschool will result in an improvement in academic skills in the later years? I'm not so sure, just yet. I am comfortable with the notion that early writing skills can serve at least as an indicator of later achievement.

So as researchers work to uncover the underlying mechanisms that link early writing skills to later academic achievement, should you work with your child (or students) on their writing? Sure! It’s important to note that occupational therapists who design handwriting curricula would argue that teaching handwriting is a very specific process. I’ll leave that to the experts for now. As parents, I suggest we provide children with as many opportunities to engage with writing tools as possible. Don’t deny them writing experiences because: (a) you think your electronic device is more "fun" and/or educational or (b) you will have to invest in wall and carpet cleaner.

Here are some quick tips to provide kids with opportunities to write:

Make sure you have a lot of writing materials around your home.

Markers, pencils, pens, and crayons should be made easily accessible to your children, as well as coloring books, paper, composition books, journals, and/or notebooks. There are plenty of books out there that encourage children to draw, make shapes, and trace letters and numbers. Have a few of them available for them to use at their leisure.  Easels, with both dry erase markers and chalk, are often low cost purchases that encourage children to draw, write, and play (more on that below). Going outside? Take sidewalk chalk with you and draw some family pictures while practicing writing the names of each family member. Going to the zoo? Help your child make a list of the animals you think you’ll see and have them check them off as you go along. Keep in mind that spelling accuracy is not important here. It’s the act of “writing” that is the target.

Use writing in play

Imaginary play also provides opportunities for children to write. Be creative!  Notice that doctors write in your medical file and write prescriptions (albeit with horrible penmanship?).  If your child is playing doctor with her dolls, give her a “file” to write on and a pad to write “prescriptions.” Waitresses take orders and you sign a bill every time you go to a restaurant. Serving breakfast? Have your children order from their “menu” that they wrote and sign their “bill.” Finally, what do kids like more than playing teacher? That easel you purchased is going to come in handy now!

Be a role model for your child

Do you write on paper anymore? Do you take all your notes, type up your grocery list, and send emails on your electronic device. Of course you do! Don’t think your four-year-old isn’t noticing. In fact, chances are he is picking up your old, battery-less cell phone (that has now become his toy) and is pretending to type up his grocery list as you head out the door. Be a role model - leave written notes around the house and write a recipe on an index card together. Write out your grocery list next week rather than typing it into your phone.  See if your four-year-old wants to make a list of his own just like you do.

And don't force them. Kids have different levels of interest and ability.  They'll come around.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Laura Dinehart.