The United States Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that admissions systems which factor race into decisions — specifically those used at Harvard and the University of North Carolina in this case — violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
NEW — "Harvard and UNC's admissions programs...violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment..." pic.twitter.com/gGkJnvZUOL
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 29, 2023
In the majority opinion authored by Chief Justice John Roberts — joined by Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett — the Supreme Court says that:
...the Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the Equal Protection Clause. 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. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today.
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. But, despite the dissent’s assertion to the contrary, universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today...
A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination. Or a benefit to a student whose heritage or culture motivated him or her to assume a leadership role or attain a particular goal must be tied to that student’s unique ability to contribute to the university. In other words, the student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race.
Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice.
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— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 29, 2023
"Many universities have for too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin. This Nation’s constitutional history does not tolerate that choice." pic.twitter.com/zcjgIqC7Ou
Earlier this year, Townhall interviewed students and others involved with Students for Fair Admissions — the group which brought the affirmative action question to the highest court in the land — about what the now-unconstitutional admissions practices meant for their families:
🚨 The Supreme Court has found that Harvard and UNC's race-based admissions practices VIOLATE the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
— Mia Cathell (@MiaCathell) June 29, 2023
Earlier this year, @townhallcom interviewed members of SFFA, who brought the #affirmativeaction cases to SCOTUS:https://t.co/xtHqpFqUV5
The full majority opinion and dissents are embedded below.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Editor's Note: Through affirmative action, the radical left perpetuated racism and waged war on meritocracy, but today, the Supreme Court has defended the American Dream.
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