US Supreme Court Ends Affirmative Action in College Admissions
In a landmark decision, the US Supreme Court has ruled that race can no longer be a factor in university admissions. The ruling overturns decades-old policies on affirmative action, also known as positive discrimination, and has sparked intense debate.
Affirmative action was first introduced in the 1960s as a means to promote diversity in higher education. However, the court’s conservative majority, with a 6-3 ruling against the University of North Carolina (UNC) and a 6-2 ruling against Harvard, sided with Students for Fair Admissions, an organization founded by conservative activist Edward Blum. The group argued that Harvard’s race-conscious admissions policy violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the majority opinion, stated that universities had wrongly focused on an individual’s racial identity rather than their achievements and abilities. He described Harvard’s admissions process as resting on the “pernicious stereotype” that a black student can offer something a white person cannot.
While the ruling acknowledges that universities can still consider an applicant’s discussion of how race affects their life, it marks a significant shift in policy. President Joe Biden expressed strong disagreement with the court’s decision and called for a new path forward that is consistent with the law, stating that discrimination still exists in America.
The dissenting liberal justices, including Justice Sonia Sotomayor, warned that the decision rolls back decades of progress and establishes colorblindness as a constitutional principle in a segregated society. Justice Clarence Thomas, the court’s second black justice, called affirmative action programs “patently unconstitutional.”
The ruling has received mixed reactions, with UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz acknowledging that it is not the outcome they had hoped for but stating that the university will review the decision and comply with the law. Harvard’s president, Lawrence Bacow, pledged to comply with the court’s decision while emphasizing the college’s commitment to diversity.
Edward Blum, the founder of Students for Fair Admission, celebrated the ruling as the restoration of a colorblind legal covenant that unites the multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation. Former President Donald Trump also praised the decision, calling it a great day and highlighting the rewarding of individuals with extraordinary abilities.
The Supreme Court’s ruling comes after nine US states already implemented bans on race-based college admissions. California rejected a 2020 ballot measure to reinstate affirmative action, 24 years after it was banned.
The debate surrounding affirmative action and its impact on equality and diversity in higher education is likely to continue following this significant decision by the US Supreme Court.
