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In June 2023, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action – i.e., race preferences — for college admissions. At issue was the fact that Asians in particular, but whites as well, were being discriminated against in the admissions policies of schools like Harvard and the University of North Carolina. For example, among mid-range Harvard University applicants – those in the 5th and 6th academic deciles — blacks were 3.8 times more likely than whites, and 11.8 times more likely than Asians, to be admitted. This was a continuation of the type of extreme discrimination that had been taking place in academia for decades.
HARRIS: Opposed the 2023 Supreme Court Ruling Against Affirmative Action
When the Supreme Court made its ruling in June 2023, VP Harris expressed her “deep disappointment” and issued a statement that said: “Today’s Supreme Court decision … is a step backward for our nation. It rolls back long-established precedent and will make it more difficult for students from underrepresented backgrounds to have access to opportunities that will help them fulfill their full potential.”
In a separate venue, Harris said: “[T]his is now a moment where the Court has not fully underst[ood] the importance of equal opportunity for the people of our country, and it is in so very many ways a denial of opportunity. And … it is a complete misnomer to suggest this is about ‘colorblind,’ when, in fact, it is about being blind to history, being blind to data, being blind to empirical evidence about disparities, being blind to the strength that diversity brings to classrooms, to boardrooms.”
BIDEN: Opposed the 2023 Supreme Court Ruling Against Affirmative Action
Reacting to the June 2023 Supreme Court decision to strike down affirmative action, President Biden said: “The court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions, and I strongly, strongly disagree with the court’s decision.” He further asserted that the court which issued this ruling “is not a normal court.”
Biden also told MSNBC that the Supreme Court had “done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history.”
HARRIS & BIDEN: Urged Colleges to Defy the Supreme Court Decision
Despite the Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling that the use of race-based college admissions policies were unconstitutional, the Civil Rights divisions of the Department of Education and the Department of Justice together released a guidance on August 14th encouraging universities to circumvent the ruling by considering “ways a student’s background, including experiences linked to their race, have shaped their lives and the unique contributions they can make to campus.”
WALZ: Supports Affirmative Action
Tim Walz believes that public and private employers alike should be legally required to implement affirmative-action hiring and promotion policies that give preference to nonwhites and women, as compensation for historical injustices.
WALZ: Established Racial Quotas in Minnesota
In May 2024, Governor Walz signed into law a bill that established racial quotas throughout Minnesota’s Health Department, including race-based requirements for membership in five of the Department’s committees. Numerous legal experts called Walz’s policy unconstitutional.
TRUMP: Supported the 2023 Supreme Court Ruling Against Affirmative Action
Trump said that the June 2023 Supreme Court decision marked “a great day for America.” “This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for, and the result was amazing,” he stated. “It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished, and that’s what this wonderful day has brought. We’re going back to all merit-based—and that’s the way it should be.”