Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf
Page Number: 134.0

Cite as:  600 U. S. ____ (2023) 

3 

KAVANAUGH, J., concurring 

again  held  that  race-based  affirmative  action  in  higher 
education  did  not  violate  the  Equal  Protection  Clause  or 
Title VI.  Grutter, 539 U. S., at 343.  This time, however, the 
Court also specifically indicated—despite the reservations 
of  Justice  Ginsburg  and  Justice  Breyer—that  race-based 
affirmative  action  in  higher  education  would  not  be 
constitutionally  justified  after  another  25  years,  at  least
absent  something  not  “expect[ed].”    Ibid.    And  various  
Members  of  the  Court  wrote  separate  opinions  explicitly 
referencing the Court’s 25-year limit.  

  Justice O’Connor’s opinion for the Court stated:  “We 
expect  that  25  years  from  now,  the  use  of  racial
preferences  will  no  longer  be  necessary  to  further 
the interest approved today.”  Ibid. 

  JUSTICE THOMAS expressly concurred in “the Court’s 
holding  that  racial  discrimination 
in  higher
education admissions will be illegal in 25 years.”  Id., 
at 351 (opinion concurring in part and dissenting in
part). 

  JUSTICE  THOMAS,  joined  here  by  Justice  Scalia,
reiterated  “the  Court’s  holding”  that  race-based
affirmative  action  in  higher  education  “will  be
unconstitutional in 25 years” and “that in 25 years
the practices of the Law School will be illegal,” while 
also  stating  that  “they  are,  for  the  reasons  I  have 
given, illegal now.”  Id., at 375–376. 

  Justice  Kennedy 

“the  Court’s 
referred 
pronouncement  that  race-conscious  admissions 
programs  will  be  unnecessary  25  years  from  now.” 
Id., at 394 (dissenting opinion). 

to 

joined  by  Justice  Breyer,
  Justice  Ginsburg, 
limit  but 
acknowledged 
questioned  it,  writing  that  “one  may  hope,  but  not 
firmly forecast, that over the next generation’s span,
progress  toward  nondiscrimination  and  genuinely 

the  Court’s  25-year