A 1974 desegregation school ruling meant to encourage diversity is now preventing a girl from attending a Bay Ridge school for the gifted.

The parents of 11-year-old Nikita Raus say I.S. 239/the Mark Twain School denied their daughter admission because she scored too low for minorities. The school said because Nikita is of Indian descent, she needed to score at least 84.4 on an admissions test. Nikita scored a 79, which is two points above the requirement for white students.

The '74 court ruling requires the school's student body be 60 percent white and 40 percent minority.

The Rauses have obtained an attorney. Their lawyer believes a case before the Supreme Court could soon end racial quotas nationwide.

School officials later told the family Nikita could attend the less-competitive I.S. 98/the Bay Academy.