Will the Supreme Court Take Affirmative Action on Affirmative Action

Many people may have heard of the “college admissions Supreme Court hearings” or maybe even the term “Affirmative Action,” but how many people really know the details? Affirmative Action has a long history and many strong opinions regarding it. It is being challenged in front of the Supreme Court and there are many facts to know about, and opinions to consider. 

Historical context

Merriam Webster Dictionary defines Affirmative Action as “the use of policies, legislation, programs, and procedures to improve the educational or employment opportunities of members of certain demographic groups (such as minority groups, women, and older people) as 

a remedy to the effects of long-standing discrimination against such groups.” It has been used during college admissions for decades in an effort to make environments more diverse. It protects people on the grounds of race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, and age. The term was first introduced in the 1960’s under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and has since been used in college and university administrations. 

Current debate

Affirmative Action has been challenged and debated for years, but now it is being challenged in front of the Supreme Court. Some students and parents are being led by conservative activist Edward Blum, in an effort to make it illegal for colleges to take race and other minority pieces of one’s identity into account during the admission process. 

Many other students, parents, and universities have been arguing that Affirmative Action is needed to allow for a fair college journey. The universities are very clear that they take many more things into consideration besides race, sexuality, gender, religion, etc. They first consider GPA, extracurriculars, and test scores before the person’s identity. 

The court is now being asked to make Affirmative Action illegal, which has been in place for 40 years so overturning it will be a huge change for our society and the college process. If the court does overturn it, it is probable that the diversity percentage will decrease on campus. 

The court is currently hearing cases from both sides, and will likely make their decision in a few months. Stay tuned!

 SSSAS College Office Interview

I asked the College Office one question regarding the effects that overturning Affirmative Action could have on students. The question asked was: How will current highschool students be affected when applying to college and being accepted/denied into colleges if Affirmative Action is overturned?

I talked to both Mr. Doyle and Ms. Weith, and they shared that it is very hard to know at this point. Ms.Weith stated, “At this stage, we don’t know how the court’s possible ruling will affect the college admission process until we hear exactly what the ruling will entail (and what parameters they may impose).” Mr. Doyle agreed and stated, “At this juncture, we don’t know how the court’s possible ruling will affect the college admission process until we hear exactly what the ruling will entail (and what parameters they may impose), if they decide to overturn the precedent of Affirmative Action.” When the ruling is decided, we will make sure to get in touch with the college office again and let you know what they think!