In a move that could potentially deprive future generations of racists their token minority friends, the Supreme Court is set to reexamine the legality of affirmative action programs this fall.
The Court, which functions as a sort of "RA" of the United States, first approved affirmative action as a method to achieve diversity in higher education in 1978. In 2003, the decision to endorse the use of race as a factor in college admissions was reaffirmed in a case involving the University of Michigan. Now, the Court is preparing to review the issue once more, based on a challenge from Great White Hope Abigail Fisher, a college student who was denied admission to the University of Texas.
Currently, the University of Texas employs two measures to ensure diversity among its students. The first is a race-blind "top 10" policy, by which high school seniors in the top 10% of their class gain automatic admission to the school. About three quarters of the University's freshman population is composed of students who graduated in the top tier of their high schools. The remaining fourth of students are chosen via a process that includes race as a factor.
The Los Angeles Times explains the basis of Fisher's case as follows:
[Fisher's] grades were not good enough to put her in the top 10% of her class, but she said her tests and grades "exceeded those of many of the admitted minority candidates." She sued, alleging racial discrimination in violation of the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection of the laws.
Fisher subsequently enrolled at Louisiana State University and is due to graduate this spring.
Owing to their full calendar, the justices will not hear the case until October, mere weeks before the presidential election.
Five of the nine Supreme Court justices have stated, on record, that they are against the use of race as a factor in the college admissions process.
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