Source: https://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2012/10/01/us-supreme-court-to-rule-on-affirmative-action/
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US Supreme Court to rule on affirmative action – UK Human Rights Blog
October 1, 2012 by Rosalind English	US Supreme Court to rule on affirmative action	The US Supreme Court’s term begins today, and race relations is at the top of the court’s agenda. The US press hails Fisher v University of Texas as the most important case the Court has agreed to hear thus far. Word is out that it could sound the death knell for affirmative action in the United States.
ever suggested that a state university has a compelling interest in using race to further general welfare. By recognizing that interest, the Fifth Circuit went far outside this Court’s nuanced delineation of the permissible goal of student body diversity
Whether a public university can layer racial preferences over a non-racial admissions plan that ensures very substantial levels of minority enrollment is a question which itself warrants review by this Court.
“The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race,” the chief justice wrote pithily, “is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” Court watchers expect this colorblind view of the Constitution to prevail again and UT’s policy to be invalidated. The only question is whether the justices will use the opportunity to overturn decades of precedent and declare an end to all race-based affirmative-action policies by colleges and universities.
“Using a student’s race to give him an advantage or disadvantage strikes most Americans as wrong”, he said. “They are creating more diversity through the top 10% policy, and every black and Hispanic student can say, ‘My race was not a factor in my admission.'”
Related posts on the Equality Act 2010
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4 thoughts on “US Supreme Court to rule on affirmative action”	frednach |
October 2, 2012 at 4:26 am	There in lies the problem affirmative action seeks to redress diversity by negating the most important factor of any selection process, that is consideration purely of the merits of an applicant, as opposed to his her race. Here, the petitioner being a caucasian complained that her race placed her in a presumably otherwise disadvantage in the selection process. I dare say, perhaps, someway later in the line another candidate perhaps of mixed race may also raise a petition, then another perhaps with red hair may also fair a petition and so on..Thus a policy of race plus with good intentions becomes something of a perversity.
The issue of diversity is important not least as education plays an important part in our development ,well being and in fulfilling the promise of a better future. However, what is important to me is that selection of whatever level must always be based on merit and not race, Put simply, there is always a danger of playing the race card when it comes to race, but there is alas no such thing as discriminating on the grounds of ability or intelligence. My point would be a selection process must be devised so as to accommodate all candidates irrespective of race, creed, colour or creed on merit. The issue then is to devise a selection process that can identify the best candidates using the ‘merit’ test, what that entails is of course a matter for the selectors. In a competition for a place at a prestigious law school a merit test might encompass a bit of everything from advocacy, to a written test to a debate to solving a practical problem, what weight is placed on each criterion must be examined so as to achieve an overall picture of the candidates ability, intelligence and potential- after all they are novices…. In conclusion I say let selection be the merit of all faces.
October 2, 2012 at 7:59 pm	All discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, or social origin in admission to higher education is wrong, whether it’s to keep the plebs out or to keep the place from being too full of toffs.
If the admission form did not disclose which school or sort of school the applicant went to there could be no discrimination and no allegation of discrimination. At the same time we should remove the questions about what their parents do/did for a living and whether they were in higher education, with their appalling East German overtones.
Then admit on actual, not prospective A-Levels, and for October the following year. Sure, some would decide not to take up the place, but I suggest that they correlate with those who turn up but don’t stay the course – and quit with huge debts and a chip on their shoulder.
Of course if you want to democratise higher education you need to start with the finances, but let’s not get started . . .
October 6, 2012 at 7:42 pm	6 October 2012
How does one get equality of opportunity if the schooling and background are unequal in the beginning?
How do children from the poorest backgrounds rise to be prime minister or president?
This is the real conundrum
October 7, 2012 at 1:30 pm	Not by discriminating against anyone – black or white or Asian or Chinese – on the grounds of race. Allowing that was a blind alley and the sooner the Americans get back to true non-discrimination the better.
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