Law, Business, and Society 9th Edition by Tony McAdams

Exercise 58

Milagros Irizarry lived with the same man for more than two decades, during which time they raised two children. Irizarry, an employee of the Chicago public school system, received health benefits, but her male partner did not because the couple had not married. The school system provided health benefits to domestic partners of the same sex, but not to those of the opposite sex. Irizarry raised a constitutional challenge to the denial of benefits to her male partner.
a. Explain the nature of that constitutional challenge.
b. Decide the case. Explain. See Irizarry v. Board of Education of the City of Chicago, 251 F.3d 604 (7th Cir. 2001).