The Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities who consider race as a factor in admissions violate the Constitution.
The 6-3 decision (read it here) likely will be one of the court’s most consequential rulings this term. Major broadcast networks interrupted regular programming to report on the ruling, while cable news networks had been anticipating the decision as the term nears its end.
The court was rendering judgement on the college admissions programs of Harvard and the University of North Carolina. In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, “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 towork in that way, and we will not do so today. At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in thisopinion 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.” In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, “Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal.
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