The bandage has been ripped off. Now, do we treat the wound or let it bleed?
Conservatives on the U.S. Supreme Court, that bastion of liars, grifters, and corruption, this week took a pickaxe to the practice of affirmative action in colleges and universities. Here’s a very good summary from Vox:
*In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court severely limited race-conscious admissions policies in higher education, effectively ending affirmative action. The liberal justices dissented.
*The Court ruled Harvard University and University of North Carolina admissions practices violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
*For decades, United States institutions have used affirmative action to boost enrollment from marginalized communities. States that have outlawed the practice saw a decline in minority enrollment at public universities.
*Starting in the fall, colleges and universities will have to use other factors like class and income level, as well as recruiting students from places with large non-white populations to achieve racial diversity.
*The Supreme Court upheld affirmative action in 2016, but its new conservative members have shifted its ideology further right.
Thankfully, this isn’t the end of colleges and universities seeking a diversified student body that looks like America. They’ll find other ways. Maybe those will lead to more lawsuits.
This is a reminder that too many people have blinders on – or are just lying — about what’s going on in this country, and that we still don’t have in place solid plans to make things like affirmative action less necessary. If we ever reach that point, then we can start talking about what a great country this is.
Until then, we remain a work in progress.
Musings of a Nobody 