29 Jun Supreme Court’s Rejection of Affirmative Action is a Grave Injustice to All Students, Says Mississippi Center For Justice

For Immediate Release
June 29, 2023

Contact
comms-mcj@rabengroup.com

Supreme Court’s Rejection of Affirmative Action is a Grave Injustice to All Students, Says Mississippi Center For Justice

Jackson, MS— Today, the Supreme Court struck down the use of race-conscious admission policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. With their decisions in the cases of Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, the Supreme Court has effectively ended the practice of affirmative action.

In response, Vangela M. Wade, CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice, issued the following statement:

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a grave injustice not only to millions of students of color but to students everywhere who benefit from being in classrooms that look like America. By turning its back on over forty years of jurisprudence, the Supreme Court is rolling back decades of progress and will further enshrine racial inequality in higher education. Every student should have an equal opportunity to access higher education and the opportunity to pursue their dreams – and today’s decision flies in the face of meaningful progress for all Americans, and the ideals on which many continue to build hope for our future generations.

History reminds us that backlash to progress is not novel but part and parcel of a generations-old attempt to turn back the clock on racial justice and civil rights. In the history books of America, the chapter on pivotal moments for race relations will include slavery, Jim Crow, and today’s decision to overturn affirmative action. Maybe one day, race may not be a lens for America, but that time hasn’t arrived. Ignoring inequality doesn’t make it disappear. Our hope is that colleges and universities everywhere will prioritize equitable access and opportunity for all, regardless of today’s decision.” 

###

The Mississippi Center for Justice is dedicated to dismantling the state’s culture of inequity and injustice. Supported and staffed by attorneys and other professionals, the Center develops and pursues strategies to combat discrimination and poverty statewide.