The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled against affirmative action. The highest court in the United States ruled that both Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC) will no longer be able to use race for their admissions processes. Joe Biden reacted quickly to the ruling and condemned it on social media and in a subsequent statement.
In two separate cases that reached the same conclusion, the conservative majority, comprised of John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, stood united in ruling that affirmative action on college campuses ran counter to 14th Amendment protections.
The final numbers were 6-3 for North Carolina (with Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Keagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting) and 6-2 for Harvard, as Jackson recused herself from the case due to her recent time at the university.
We cannot let today's Supreme Court decision be a permanent setback for the country.
We need to remember that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed.
That’s the work of my Administration, and I will always fight for it. pic.twitter.com/kNDUIhCsIN
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 29, 2023
Joe Biden’s response
The president first published a statement on Twitter and then spoke to the press at the White House. “For decades, the Supreme Court recognized a college’s freedom to decide how to build a diverse student body and provide opportunity. Today, the Court walked away from precedent, effectively ending affirmative action in higher education,” he began.
“Our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. And America is stronger because we are tapping into our full range of talent. Today’s Supreme Court decision is not the last word. We cannot let today’s Supreme Court decision be a permanent setback for the country. We need to remember that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed. That’s the work of my Administration, and I will always fight for it,” he added on Twitter.
Tune in as I deliver remarks on the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action in higher education. https://t.co/Vj8ox53g6v
— President Biden (@POTUS) June 29, 2023
In addition to making his firm opposition to the ruling clear, he also commented that this is not the last word on the topic, implying that he will send a bill to Congress to codify affirmative action in universities.
As early as the press conference, Biden stated that affirmative action as such was misunderstood. According to the president, universities consider race within a wide range of factors and not as the main factor.
He also indicated that the United States cannot turn away from diversity and opportunity, suggesting a new path forward. He recommended that universities consider certain factors of history and race once candidates have passed the first stages of admissions.
