New York, NY—Today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its own 2003 decision in Grutter v. Bollinger. This ruling makes affirmative action in college admissions illegal, and bars universities from considering race in admission decisions.
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:
“The Supreme Court made clear today that they either don’t fully comprehend the appalling impact that systemic racism has on our society or they do know and just don’t care. Their decision to terminate the usage of affirmative action policies in college admissions halts what little progress had been made thus far on campuses and throughout the nation to begin to level the playing field for all Americans regardless of race. The Supreme Court’s decision means that higher education closes the door for many students of color while simultaneously allowing universities to grandfather in the racist policies of previous generations through the legacy admissions system. Denying colleges the right to create intentionally diverse student bodies will be a detriment not only to the students who will be denied a real opportunity to enroll at their college of choice, but also to the many students who will lose out on the shared experiences of navigating cultural and racial differences in an increasingly connected world. The ultimate impact of today’s decision won’t just hurt students of color, but will also reverberate with disastrous consequences throughout our entire society.”