Affirmative Action practices and policies when it comes to college and university admissions are important cases before the Supreme Court this year. The Court hopes to deliver a decision this spring regarding the affirmative action case brought against the University of Texas, which challenges the University’s affirmative action practices. Just last week the Court heard a Michigan affirmative action case.
Court watchers were surprised that the Justices agreed to hear two cases on affirmative action in college admissions, but apparently, the Court sees significant legal differences between the two cases.
NPR reports on the lively discussion that took place during Fisher vs. University of Texas, heard by the Court last October. In that case, the University denied admission to Ms. Fisher, a Caucasian, based on her grades. The University’s President stated that 75 percent of applicants receive automatic acceptance based on high school class rank. Texas law guarantees that students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class get in, and the other 25 percent, those not in the top 10 percent, are admitted under a system that includes grades, board scores, essays, and other factors like leadership, awards, community activities, economic circumstances, and race.
The issue with the University of Michigan appears to be different. According to the New York Times, Schuette v. Michigan Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action concerns a voter initiative in Michigan that banned racial preferences in admissions to the state’s public universities. In November 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that the initiative, which amended the State Constitution, violated the federal Constitution’s equal protection clause. Approved in 2006 by state voters, the initiative prohibited discrimination or preferential treatment in public education, government contracting, and public employment. Groups favoring affirmative action sued to block the part of the law concerning higher education.
Both sides of the affirmative action debate will be featured in the decisions of these cases. Will the Court’s decisions effectively end race conscious policies in college admissions? Or will it recognize the ongoing necessity for accommodating racial barriers for minority students? We should know the answers to those questions in the coming months.
Are Affirmative Action measures no longer needed because all minorities have fair and equal access to college and university admissions all across the United States?
What do you think?
Comments
Color-blind Racism
I think that this article is a good example of color-blind racism present in America. There is this idea floating around that there is no longer racism is in the U.S. Most of the studies that show this, interviewed a largely white population. When minorities are surveyed, the results show that they still think racism is prevalent. I have begun to learn how racism is embedded within our social structures, including higher education. High schools that have more money, generally have a higher white student population. High schools that have less money, generally have a higher minority population. Rescources to education are generally denied to lower-income schools. These schools don't have the resources to set the students up for success. Because of these lack of resources, minorities are less-likely to go to or be accepted to college. Like some of the others have said, there is a reason that there is affirmative action. Affirmative action helps minorities gain access to resources that aren't available without this legislature.
Affirmative actions needs to be explained
The people who are strongly against affirmative action are most likely people who refuse to acknowledge that race plays a part in a person's life. It is absolutely not the case that affirmative action measures are no longer needed because everyone is receiving equal treatment. Just the fact that people are so against affirmative action is indication that we need it. Some people are unwilling to recognize they have privilege in this world and others do not. This is what blind racism is. I think that it is important that we educate the benefits of affirmative action and how it doesn't really take opportunities away from others. I think we are too stuck on the idea that if one person has something the other cannot. I think this way of thinking promotes the distinction of races, because a White person would not be upset if another White person is seemingly getting advantages, but if it is a person of a different race, then it becomes us versus them. This argument on affirmative action can be a positive situation if we are able to turn it into a historic event in the future as an example of how bad our country has been. I hope that one day we will be able to peacefully get rid of the need for affirmative action. But, today is not that day.
Wow
Again, why does everything have to come down to minorities in this country. We are a country of equal opportunities, if a person lives here legally then no matter their race, gender, or religion they should all be given equal opportunities to succeed and move forward in this country.
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