The U.S. Supreme Court released a pair of decisions on Thursday severely limiting the use of race as a factor in college admissions. This decision effectively ends those affirmative action programs that many colleges have used for years.
The Court’s six conservative justices invalidated both Harvard’s and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s (UNC) admissions schemes by ruling they did not comply with the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection.
“Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority.
“We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today,” Roberts continued. “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”
“The Court today makes clear that, in the future, universities wishing to discriminate based on race in admissions must articulate and justify a compelling and measurable state interest based on concrete evidence,” stated Justice Clarence Thomas. “Given the strictures set out by the Court, I highly doubt any will be able to do so.”
Congresswoman Terri Sewell released a statement stating her opposition to Thursday’s ruling.
“For centuries, African Americans were systematically denied the opportunity to pursue a higher education and gain financial independence, leaving a painful legacy of discrimination that persists to this day,” Rep. Sewell said. “It was during my parents’ lifetime that institutions like the University of Alabama finally allowed Black students to enroll alongside their peers. For the past four decades, the Supreme Court has recognized the important role of affirmative action in breaking down educational barriers for Black students. After all, our entire nation benefits when talented students of diverse backgrounds get a fair shot at success. But with today’s extreme reversal, the Court has chosen to ignore our history and roll back our hard-fought progress.
“This is another solemn reminder that progress is elusive, and every generation must fight to preserve the progress of the past and advance it,” said Sewell.
The Biden administration had backed the two schools before the Court.
The biggest beneficiary of this will be Asian Americans. Asians as a group have a disproportionately high percentage of high performers on standards such as grade point average, ACT scores, GRE scores, etc., so they may face discrimination in the number allowed into colleges and universities.
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