(NewsNation) — In one of its biggest reversals since the overturning of Roe v. Wade last summer, the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in higher education admissions.
Writing for the court’s conservative majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said many universities have “for too long wrongly concluded that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned, but the color of their skin.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, writing that the Supreme Court “stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress.”
Lawmakers, public figures and activists alike were quick to voice their opinions on the ruling.
President Joe Biden
On Twitter, Biden said the Court “walked away from precedent” in their decision, adding that he “strongly” disagrees with it.
“Our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse,” President Joe Biden wrote. “America is stronger because we are tapping into our full range of talent. Today’s Supreme Court decision is not the last word.”
At a press conference shortly after the decision was announced, Biden said colleges are stronger when they’re racially diverse.
“While talent, creativity and hard work are everywhere across this country,” Biden added equal opportunity is not.
“We cannot let the decision be the last word,” Biden said.
Attorney General Merrick Garland
Garland said the Department of Justice plans on working with the Department of Education to provide resources to colleges and universities about what admissions practices and programs are still lawful.
“The Supreme Court’s decision undercuts efforts by universities across the country to create a diverse group of graduates prepared to lead in an increasingly diverse nation,” Garland said in a statement. “It will significantly set back efforts to advance educational opportunity for all Americans.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
The New York Democrat said the consequences of the affirmative action restrictions mean students of color will face an admission cycle next year where they have fewer opportunities than their parents and older siblings.
“These negative consequences could continue for generations, as the historic harms of exclusion and discrimination in education and society are exacerbated,” Schumer said. “The Court’s misguided decision reminds us how far we still have to go to ensure that all Americans are treated equally. Nevertheless, we will not be daunted or deterred by this decision and we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal educational opportunities for all.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
The Republican from Kentucky called the Supreme Court’s decisions a “long-overdue step toward ensuring equal protection under the law.”
“For decades, the Court turned a blind eye as higher education prioritized illegal social engineering over merit,” McConnell said. “Today’s rulings make clear that colleges may not continue discriminating against bright and ambitious students based on the color of their skin.”
“Most Americans agree that racial discrimination should play no part in the college admissions process. Now that the Court has reaffirmed that commonsense position, students can get a fair shot at college and the American dream on their merits,” McConnell continued.
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Caucus chair Rep. Judy Chu, a California Democrat, said while the end of “race-conscious admissions” is unlikely to change the net number of Asians being accepted at elite institutions, Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders from low-income, refugee and indigenous backgrounds will now face more hurdles.
“That’s no net positive,” she said in a statement posted on Twitter.
The caucus also said the decisions should not be viewed as a win for the community, and it deals a “needless blow” to America’s promise of equal and fair opportunity.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus
“Race-conscious admission policies that allow universities to consider race as one of several factors in the admissions process are a critical and much-needed component to address systemic inequalities and foaster diversity,” Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Nanette D. Barragán said in a tweeted statement. “It benefits the entire student body by enriching college experiences and better preparing students to enter their professions. Today’s decision will only benefit the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of marginalized communities and exacerbate barriers students of color face on their path to obtaining an education.”
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus said precedents set in previous decisions supporting affirmative action gave students, regardless of what race they are, a better chance at equal admissions.
“By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy,” caucus members wrote. “Unfortunately, we have seen backlash to progress many times throughout our nation’s history. During Reconstruction, we had a mere 12 years of Black achievement in policy, politics, the arts and sciences, and education that were followed by 70 years of state-sanctioned Jim Crow. We didn’t stop fighting for equality then and we won’t stop now because too much is at stake to allow extremists to turn back the clock on progress.”
North Carolina AG Josh Stein
Although Stein, a Democrat, declined an interview with NewsNation, he said in a statement that “students learn best when they are exposed to a wide variety of perspectives and backgrounds.”
“I believe that our schools and businesses should reflect the full strength and richness of our state’s diversity,” Stein said. “That’s when North Carolina is at its greatest.”
Former President Donald Trump
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said Wednesday is a “great day in America.”
“People with extraordinary ability and everything else necessary for success, including future greatness for our country, are finally being rewarded. This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing,” Trump wrote. “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!”
Barack and Michelle Obama
Barack Obama, quote-tweeting Michelle Obama, said Affirmative Action was “never a complete answer” for a more just society. However, he added that it did give “generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of America’s key institutions” the chance to show they deserved a seat at the table.
“In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, it’s time to redouble our efforts,” he said.
Michelle Obama shared her own experience being one of a few Black students on her campus.
“I knew I’d worked hard for it,” the Princeton University and Harvard Law grad wrote, though added she worried people thought she achieved so much because of affirmative action.
“But the fact is, I belonged,” Michelle Obama said. “Semester after semester, decade after decade, for more than half a century, countless students like me showed they belonged, too. It wasn’t just the kids of color who benefitted either. Every student who heard a perspective they might not have encountered, who had an assumption challenged, who had their minds and hearts opened gained a lot as well.”