The custom of taking an applicant’s race into account when deciding whether to admit them to a university has been overturned by the US Supreme Court.
The decision overturns long-standing US laws on “affirmative action,” also referred to as “positive discrimination”.
It is one of the most divisive topics in American education.
Affirmative action was first incorporated into legislation in the 1960s and has been defended as a way to promote diversity.
The justices heard cases involving Harvard and University of North Carolina (UNC) admissions.
The court stated in its ruling that “such [race-based] admission programs must comply with strict scrutiny, may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and must – at some point, end.”
The admissions policies at UNC and Harvard, according to Chief Justice John Roberts, “fail each of these criteria,” despite their “well-intentioned” nature.
According to Justice Roberts, “Universities may define their missions as they see fit.”
“The Constitution defines ours.”
Source-BBC
