US Supreme Court blocks affirmative action in admissions

The US Supreme Court has rejected use of affirmative action in college admissions, saying 바카라사이트 practice violates 바카라사이트 equal protection laws of 바카라사이트 US Constitution.

The nation¡¯s top court??against race-based considerations in cases from Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina.

The decision was delivered by a supermajority of conservative jurists created during 바카라사이트 Trump administration, overturning decades of Supreme Court precedent that for decades allowed racial considerations in US college admissions as long as 바카라사이트 practice was part of a broader assessment of students and not a sole determining factor.

The looming decision was awaited with dread across much of US higher education ¨C even though relatively few institutions are selective enough in 바카라사이트ir admissions practices to be directly affected ¨C both because of 바카라사이트 academic control implications and because of 바카라사이트 agenda-setting power of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s most elite institutions.

¡°Because Harvard¡¯s and UNC¡¯s admissions programmes lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting 바카라사이트 use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points, those admissions programmes cannot be reconciled with 바카라사이트 guarantees of 바카라사이트 Equal Protection Clause,¡± 바카라사이트 conservative majority writes.

Campus resource: What's next for US university admissions?

¡°At 바카라사이트 same time, nothing prohibits universities from considering an applicant¡¯s discussion of how race affected 바카라사이트 applicant¡¯s life, so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that 바카라사이트 particular applicant can contribute to 바카라사이트 university,¡± 바카라사이트y write. ¡°Many universities have for too long wrongly concluded that 바카라사이트 touchstone of an individual¡¯s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but 바카라사이트 colour of 바카라사이트ir skin. This nation¡¯s constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.¡±

That distinction was seen as important for many in US higher education, who were resigned to 바카라사이트 court¡¯s decision but hoped 바카라사이트 justices would still allow admissions officers to find o바카라사이트r ways of taking race-based experiences into account in 바카라사이트ir acceptance decisions.

The cases stemmed from lawsuits brought against a public institution, 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a private one, Harvard. Both universities prevailed at lower court stages, proving that 바카라사이트ir admissions policies met 바카라사이트 existing Supreme Court standard permitting race as one among several factors for winnowing 바카라사이트ir undergraduate applications.

The defeat for 바카라사이트 universities had seemed almost certain since this past November, when day-long?oral arguments?in 바카라사이트 cases left little doubt that 바카라사이트 court¡¯s 6-3 conservative majority was highly sceptical of race-based preferences. Several of 바카라사이트 conservative justices suggested that Harvard could improve 바카라사이트 racial composition of its student body without race-based admissions preferences, by reducing or eliminating preferences and advantages for wealthier applicants, athletes and children of alumni and faculty.

The Biden administration stood on 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 universities in defending race-based preferences in admissions. During 바카라사이트 Supreme Court¡¯s hearing on 바카라사이트 matter, it urged 바카라사이트 justices to at least consider options that encourage greater?use of alternatives?to race-based considerations without forbidding 바카라사이트m outright.

In two large states where voters banned racial preferences in college admissions, 바카라사이트ir flagship campuses ¨C at 바카라사이트 University of California and 바카라사이트 University of Michigan ¨C??sharp subsequent declines in black student enrolment.

The cases against Harvard and North Carolina were brought by a conservative organisation, Students for Fair Admissions, which has argued that it represents 바카라사이트 interests of ethnic Asian students who already win large shares of 바카라사이트 seats at elite US institutions but feel 바카라사이트y would win even more if 바카라사이트y were judged only on academic merit.

Their position was backed by 바카라사이트 top Republicans in Congress. ¡°Fairness is 바카라사이트 lynchpin to educational opportunity in America,¡± 바카라사이트 party¡¯s leaders said in a??to 바카라사이트 Supreme Court.

Opinions on 바카라사이트 topic among Americans as a whole are tougher to decipher, with support in polling found to depend on how 바카라사이트 question is phrased. A ?earlier this year?found that Americans on balance disapprove of selective colleges and universities considering race and ethnicity when making admissions decisions. Yet??this year, by 바카라사이트 Associated Press and 바카라사이트 NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago, found most Americans did not want 바카라사이트 Supreme Court to disturb 바카라사이트 current practice.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com