Image: Denis Tangney Jr/Getty Images.
The Supreme Court has made the shocking decision to rule against affirmative action admission programs at Harvard and UNC. With a vote of 6-3—with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused from voting—the court upheld that “race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful.”
This decision was received well by conservative learning groups, who disavowed and sought to discourage race-based admission considerations at colleges and universities nationally.
This ruling now sets a tricky precedent for other academic institutions across the country who rely on affirmative action and similar programs to diversify their cohort of incoming students while providing better accessibility to prospective students who may not have had the opportunity to attend the school otherwise.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Executive Order 11246 to ensure that entities took the necessary steps to ensure that all minorities have the opportunity to receive a fair shot at employment opportunities. He later amended this order to explicitly include women as well. This along with anti-discrimination laws signed in years prior trickled down into ensuring that fair rights and equity of marginalized groups were upheld in all facets of society.
Many have spoken out regarding the decision made Thursday morning, including former First Lady Michelle Obama.
“I wanted to share some of my thoughts on today’s Supreme Court decision on affirmative action,” Obama shares in a heartfelt Instagram post. “So today, my heart breaks for any young person out there who’s wondering what the future holds—and what kinds of chances will be open to them. And while I know the strength and grit that lies inside kids who have always had to sweat a little more to climb ladders, I hope and pray that the rest of us are willing to sweat a little, too.”