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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 07, 2023 | The Indian Eye 24

Biden, Kamala Harris and Obamas criticize

the US Supreme Court decision to strike down race-

based affirmative action in college admissions

OUR BUREAU

Washington, DC
he US Supreme Court on Thursday struck
down race-based admission programs at the
TUniversity of Harvard and the University of
North Carolina. This comes amid reports of the
university’s policies discriminating against White
and Asian applicants by giving preference to Black,
Hispanic and Native American ones. In a 6-3 judge-
ment, the apex court gutted affirmative action in
college admissions, that use race as a factor.
This comes amid reports of the university’s pol-
icies discriminating against White and Asian appli-
cants by giving preference to Black, Hispanic and
Native American ones.
“The student must be treated based on his or
her experiences as an individual--not on the basis
of race,” Chief Justice John G Roberts said in the
ruling while writing for the majority.
“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 iden-
tity is not challenged bested, skills built, or lessons “This is a great day for America. People with er those doubts came from the outside or inside our
learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional extraordinary ability and everything else necessary own minds,” she said.
history does not tolerate that choice,” the order stated. for success, including future greatness for our coun- “But the fact is this: I belonged. And semester
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday try, are finally being rewarded. This is the ruling after semester, decade after decade, for more than
said the US Supreme Court’s decision to end “affir- everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result half a century, countless students like me showed
mative action” in college admissions is “a denial of was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with they belonged, too. It wasn’t just the kids of color
opportunity”. the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be who benefitted, either. Every student who heard a
Harris further added that it is a complete misno- cherished and that’s what this wonderful day has perspective they might not have encountered, who
mer that this is about being color-blind. “It is being brought. We’re going back to all merit-based--and had an assumption challenged, and who had their
blind to history, blind to empirical evidence about that’s the way it should be!” CNN quoted the for- minds and their hearts opened gained a lot as well.
disparities, and blind to the strength that diversi- mer President. It wasn’t perfect, but there’s no doubt that it helped
ty brings to classrooms, to boardrooms,” she said. Former President Barack Obama and first lady offer new ladders of opportunity for those who,
In the North Carolina case, Students for Fair Michelle Obama expressed disappointment at the throughout our history, have too often been denied
Admissions alleged that the flagship university’s apex court’s ruling to gut affirmative action from a chance to show how fast they can climb,” she fur-
policies discriminated against White and Asian ap- college admissions. ther said.
plicants by giving preference to Black, Hispanic and “Like any policy, affirmative action wasn’t per- Michelle Obama said that those students who
Native American ones, The Post reported. fect. But it allowed generations of students like Mi- get accepted into universities due to legacy, athletics
On the other hand, the case against Harvard chelle and me to prove we belonged. Now it’s up and resources are not questioned in the same way.
accused the university of discriminating against to all of us to give young people the opportunities “So often, we just accept that money, power,
Asian American students by employing subjective they deserve -- and help students everywhere bene- and privilege are perfectly justifiable forms of affir-
standards to limit the numbers accepted. fit from new perspectives,” Obama said in a succinct mative action, while kids growing up like I did are
Notably, the issue of affirmative action has long statement, also providing links to various organiza- expected to compete when the ground is anything
been a matter of debate in the US. tions focused on equality in education. but level,” she said.
As recently as 2016, the court upheld an affir- Expressing disappointment, former first lady She further added that the decision “breaks her
mative action program at the University of Texas, Michelle Obama in a lengthier statement recalled heart” thinking about the future of students.
concluding for the third time that educational diver- being one of the few black students in her college. The Biden administration - from the White
sity justifies the consideration of race as one factor In a lengthier statement, the former first lady House to the Department of Education - is also
in admission decisions. took a more personal tone. reviewing the affirmative action decision from the
The ruling has also drawn reactions from the “Back in college, I was one of the few Black stu- Supreme Court, CNN reported citing an adminis-
political circles, and contrary from both sides. dents on my campus, and I was proud of getting into tration official.
Former President and 2024 contender Donald such a respected school. I knew I’d worked hard for President Joe Biden last spoke about the pend-
Trump hailed the SC ruling, calling it a “great day” it. But still, I sometimes wondered if people thought ing case in November, when he said he urged his
for the nation, adding that it will “keep us competi- I got there because of affirmative action. It was a Justice Department to “defend the present policy
tive with the rest of the world”. shadow that students like me couldn’t shake, wheth- before the Supreme Court”.

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