US Supreme Court overturns race-based university admissions, Biden ‘strongly disagrees’
2 min read 29 Jun 2023, 08:31 PM ISTThe Supreme Court judgment overturns the decades-old US policies on affirmative action which boosted the education opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities
PremiumUS Supreme Court on Thursday gave a historical verdict as it overturned the practice of considering race during the admission process in universities, news AFP reported. The judgment overturns the decades-old US policies on affirmative action which boosted the education opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities. US President Joe Biden reacted to the judgement and said he “strongly, strongly" disagrees with the Supreme Court’s decision.
The court ruled in favor of Students for Fair Admissions, an activist group that filed a lawsuit against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC), the oldest private and public higher education institutions in the United States.
The lawsuit challenged the admissions policies of these universities, asserting that the consideration of race in the admissions process resulted in discrimination against Asian American applicants who were equally or more academically qualified than their competitors vying for admission to these institutions.
“Such [race-based] admission programs must comply with strict scrutiny, may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and must - at some point," the judgment said.
"The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual -- not on the basis of race," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
Racial practice: Chief Justice John Roberts
The Chief Justice observed that deciding primarily based on whether the applicant is white, Black, or other is itself racial discrimination. "Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice," he said.
The decision by the justices was divided along conservative and liberal ideologies, with a six to three majority in favor. This ruling followed a long-standing conservative opposition to "affirmative action" measures aimed at promoting diversity in school admissions, as well as hiring in business and government sectors. The court affirmed that universities have the freedom to take into account an applicant's personal background, such as their firsthand experience with racism, as a factor in evaluating their application, even if there are other applicants who possess stronger academic qualifications.
Origin of affirmative action policies
The affirmative action policies in question originated from the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, with the intention of addressing the historical discrimination faced by African Americans in higher education.
The verdict marked a triumph for conservatives, including those who have contended that affirmative action is intrinsically unjust. Additionally, some have expressed the view that this policy is no longer necessary, as educational opportunities for Black individuals and other minority groups have significantly improved over time.
‘Colleges should evaluate adversity overcome’: Joe Biden
US President expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court verdict and urged colleges of America not to let Thursday’s ruling “be the last word."
“They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America," Biden said from the White House.
(With AFP inputs)
