The Supreme Court has officially ruled that race can no longer play a factor in the college admissions process, effectively striking down affirmative action as we know it.
Affirmative Action In College Admissions Has Been Stricken Down
The decision came on Thursday (Jun. 29), and it’s considered a major blow to affirmative action in higher education.
For context, affirmative action is a system that makes race a considering factor in the college admissions process. It’s used as a means of fostering diversity on college campuses, and it’s proven controversial over the years as white and Asian applicants have accused the system of favoring Black and Latino students.
Despite the matter being challenged on numerous occasions, it was continually upheld. However, thanks to the new ruling, affirmative action in higher education has officially been deemed unconstitutional.
Specifically, the case honed in on the affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which were found in violation of the 14th Amendment.
And so here we are. SCOTUS strikes down affirmative action at Harvard & UNC. 6-3.
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@SIfill_) June 29, 2023
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Calls The Decision A “Tragedy”
Regarding the Supreme Court’s decision, AP News reports that Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. slammed universities for “conclud[ing], wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenged bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin.”
Meanwhile, Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented and said the decision “rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.”
As for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, she didn’t hold back in her dissent, calling the decision a “tragedy.”
“With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.”
Big Names Chime In On The Decision, Joe Biden “Strongly” Disagrees With Ruling
In response to the decision, people from all sides have been sounding off on Twitter.
Among the people chiming in are some big-name public figures, including Michelle Obama.
Within a statement, she recalled being “one of the few Black students” on her college campus, which she “worked hard” to attend.
However, she “sometimes wondered if people thought [she] got there because of affirmative action,” which she called a “shadow that students like [her] couldn’t shake.”
Ultimately, though, she realized that she did belong there. Michelle also took a moment to note that affirmative action “helped offer new ladders of opportunity” for underrepresented groups. She also shared that, apparently, “money, power, and privilege are perfectly justifiable forms of affirmative action.”
She wrapped up by noting that, rather than just “enact[ing] policies” of fairness, people should work to “make those values real.”
“Today is a reminder that we’ve got to do the work not just to enact policies that reflect our values of equity and fairness, but to truly make those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.”
I wanted to share some of my thoughts on today's Supreme Court decision on affirmative action: pic.twitter.com/Wa6TGafzHV
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) June 29, 2023
Journalist Roland S. Martin didn’t bite his tongue on Twitter, as he outright addressed “the Asian-American students who won today.”
To the Asian-American students who won today with the Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action, guess what? You still are not going to get into Ivy League institutions. Why? LEGACY. None of them are ending legacy admissions, which benefits white students. Congratulations.
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) June 29, 2023
Comedian D.L. Hughley noted that affirmative action only lasted 58 years compared to the 400 years that slavery lasted, stating, “The math just ain’t mathin!”
Slavery lasted 400 hundred years, one of the supposed remedies to slavery, Affirmative Action in College admissions only lasted 58! The math just ain’t mathin! #TeamDl
— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) June 29, 2023
We should add that President Joe Biden said he “strongly” disagrees with the decision, per AP News.
“They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America.”
What do you think about the ruling, Roomies?
