Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled 6-2 in favor of upholding Michigan's ban on using race as a factor in the college admissions process at state schools. The decision is discussed in this article from the Wall Street Journal. Also included is the ABC World News video clip (2min.) from last night discussing the decision, Justice Sotomayor's fiery dissent, and the local impact on a college applicant.
Do you agree with the court's decision?
Should individual states be allowed to determine for themselves whether or not to racially profile college applicants?
How will this decision affect affirmative action in other states?
I meant to post this on the Race, Class, and Gender blog, but if you would like to comment here feel free. Well constructed comments that specifically reference either the Wall Street Journal article or the ABC World News video will receive 40 points. If you do not want to respond to this, we will exempt you so it will not help or hurt you.
I do agree with the Supreme Court's decition to uphold Michigan's ban of affirmative action because it truly creates a non-discrimitorty college application process. It is extremely hypocritical when minorities argue for equal rights, but then hide behind the affirmative action law and say they should be treated differently. They are reverting back and saying that they do not want to be the same as everyone else because now it gives them a strategic advantage in applying to college. Schuette, who is Michigan's Attorney General, said that the ban of affirmative action " is a victory for the constitution" (Michigan). It truly is a victory for the constitution because it makes the college application process fair and does not give people of certain races an unfair advantage.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the Supreme Court definitely made the correct ruling about afirmitive action. As Justice Kennedy said, the Supreme Court did not decide whether or not afirmitive action should be in effect, but rather who gets to decide whether or not it is. I think that affirmitive action should be banned. I cannot seem to understand why minorities are angered by the Supreme Court's and Michigan's decision because I think that one of the final steps to complete equality is to not have race be a factor in any decision. Also, I think people are being partly hypocritical because they are opposed to racial discrimination in most cases, but in other situations when inequality seems to bennefit them, they are totally for it. Through this case, the Supreme Court found a way to answer the legal question posed without addressing the social issue being challenged. We see them do this with other prevalent social issues including gay marriage and gun control.
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Court made the right decision in upholding Michigan's ban on affirmative action. If the people of America want to reach a status of equal rights for all the people, we need to remove discrimination under any circumstance. The process of applying to college and getting accepted should rely on what your grades, test scores, and activities. Going to college and getting good grades has nothing to do with your skin color and the application process should reflect that. Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke out against the ruling and said that whites are "rigging the rules of the game to ensure its perpetual success." I don't agree with Sotomayor and I think that both whites and minorities should be in agreement about this. If minorities want equal rights then they should be equally treated on all grounds.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that affirmative action if fair, so I agree with the Supreme Court's decision to uphold Michigan's ban on it. By banning affirmative action, being accepted into a college is equal. Affirmative action is not fair because someone who did not work as hard as another person could get into a college, solely because of race. I think it is great that the Supreme Court backed up Michigan in its ruling against race- based admissions into state schools. Although the Supreme Courts decisions does not affect states without bans to consider race in admissions, I think it will encourage other states to ban affirmative action as well. "Many of the nation's most selective universities- including the Ivy League, the U.S. military academies and flagship public institutions such as the university of Texas at Austin and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- employ affirmative action." I believe the Supreme Court and the state of Michigan have set a precedent in banning affirmative action, and I hope other states follow suit and ban it as well.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Michigan legislature wanting to get rid of affirmative action and the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the law. As Matt touched upon in his comment "It is extremely hypocritical when minorities argue for equal rights, but then hide behind the affirmative action law and say they should be treated differently." I believe that the word equal means EQUAL, not minorities getting benefits because they are of a minority group. Treating other racial groups differently just solidifies the feeling that they are different because they get different treatment than other groups that may be "better off". Yes, we know slavery happened and we are not proud of it but treating whites and other racial groups differently to "make up for our mistakes" is racist too. According to Dictionary.com, racism is "a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement" Not having someone who is more deserving of a spot in a college because they are of a majority race is racism. The Michigan government states that "Our state Constitution requires equal treatment in college admissions, because it is fundamentally wrong to treat people differently based on the color of their skin,"
ReplyDeleteI hope that the decisions of the supreme court and Michigan will have an impact on other states and encourage them to get rid of affirmative action in other schools, as I believe that this is the first step to America truly becoming a place with equal opportunities for all.
I agree with the Supreme Court's decision to ban affirmative action because I believe the college admissions process should not use race as a main factor for acceptance. I do believe everyone should have an equal opportunity when it comes to college admissions, so I do not believe race should be a deciding factor. It is very discouraging, as a soon to be college applicant, that some students who have the same grades and academic strengths as I do will be chosen over me because they are minority students. I would truly be upset if I found out that I was not accepted to the college of my dreams because a student just as qualified as I am, was chosen over me, due to their race. I agree with Michigan's opinion on the issue and Attorney General Bill Schuette’s statement saying, “our state Constitution requires equal treatment in college admissions, because it is fundamentally wrong to treat people differently based on the color of their skin.” I do not think that race should be a factor when looking at college applications because it favors certain students over others.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that the Supreme Court made the correct decision on affirmative action because it gives states the option to ban affirmative action if they chose to. I personally believe that affirmative action should be banned because if it is banned, it will give everybody regardless of race an equal chance at being accepted to college. I agree with Michigan’s attorney general Schuette’s strong statement of "Our state Constitution requires equal treatment in college admissions, because it is fundamentally wrong to treat people differently based on the color of their skin” because it shows that they are choosing to pick the best applicants for their colleges. Colleges should accept people based on their grades and other activities that they have partaken in during high school and not by somebody’s race. If every state bans affirmative action like Michigan, it is one step closer to treating everybody equally.
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Court was right in their choice to uphold Michigan's ban on affirmative action. It is good to see that we (America as a whole) are taking the right steps in order to decrease discrimination as much as possible. It is not fair as a student applying for a college to not get accepted based on their race. Kid's of different backgrounds should not be discriminated and should be accepted based on their transcript, and what is on their transcript such as good qualities, grades, and extra curricular activities. It is wrong to treat others based on the color of their skin, especially when it comes to something important like applying for a college. Sotomayor (Justice at Supreme Court) said that white people are "rigging the rules of the game to ensure its perpetual success." What she is saying is not exactly correct, because if whites want equal rights they should treat others equal.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the court's decision to uphold Michigan's ban on affirmative action because I believe that all students of the same academic abilities should have the same opportunities. As Chief Justice John Roberts stated, "racial preferences may…do more harm than good." It is disappointing that "the higher-education establishment generally favors the use of racial preferences" when choosing students to accept into their schools. While it is important for minorities to have the chance to go to college, I do not believe that they should be accepted into college mainly because they are minorities. I think that if a white kid has the same abilities as a minority kid, they should be considered the same when they apply to a school. Jess emphasized the idea of equality in her comment and I completely agree. We should all have equal rights and minorities shouldn't get special priveleges simply because they are minorities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Supreme Court's decision to uphold Michigan's ban on affirmative action because I believe individual states should be allowed to determine for themselves whether or not to racially profile college applicants. I believe that affirmative action, generally, is unfair and should be banned because it although it is trying to do a good thing by promoting diversity, it does not give equal opportunity to many people. I don't think affirmative action should be based on race, but rather by social class. Many minorities can be affluent and have many opportunities to them. Indians are a minority in this area but lots of times, many of them are rich and successful doctors or engineers that have opportunities to go to college and be successful, so I think affirmative action in college should be based on class not race. "Our state Constitution requires equal treatment in college admissions, because it is fundamentally wrong to treat people differently based on the color of their skin," Republican state Attorney General Bill Schuette said about this issue (Bravin). College admission should present an equal opportunity to people of all races. In the ABC News video, Justice Sonya Sotomayor says, "Race matters. Race matters in part because of the long history of racial minorities being denied access to the political process,"(Smith). I agree with her that race matters and that affirmative action may help minorities, but I think that the case is not really about race then. I think many minorities, such as the example of affluent Indians, have opportunities and that affirmative action would be more beneficial in being about social class.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Supreme Court that states should be able to make their own judgments because I that it is a right that states should be able to decide for their own public schools and should not have to be dictated for all states. States should have their own choice based on the voices from those states on whether or not they want affirmative action to remain in place. In many places in the country, the issue of affirmative action may not be a big debate, so a state may want to keep it running. Another state may see many problems in this debate and choose to get rid of affirmative action. I believe that it's up to those people to reason through having affirmative action or not.
I do not believe that the Supreme court made the right decision on Michigan's ban of affirmative action. People seem to think that affirmative action will cause minorities to have a huge advantage over white people in the college application process, but when you look at the numbers you find that that is not exactly true. In the article, it states that "black enrollment at the University of Michigan fell to 4.82% in 2013 from 6.12% in 2009," (Bravin) and according to the University of Michigan's website, they have a current enrollment of over 51,000 students. This means that the current black enrollment is less than 2,500 students in total, which is quite far below the kind of numbers which anyone should consider to be "discriminatory" against whites. Affirmative action was not put into place so that minorities could take college seats away from whites, but so that they would have a better chance of being able to go to a good school. I agree with Justice Sotomayor when she said "[Michigan voters] changed the basic rules of the political process in that state in a manner that uniquely disadvantaged racial minorities," because the Michigan voters essentially made it so that it is more difficult for minority students to be accepted into Michigan schools. I do not think that individual states should be able to decide for themselves whether or not to continue to uphold affirmative action, because if the states are allowed to decide for themselves, it is likely that more will follow what Michigan has done and ban it without thinking of why it was necessary in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Supreme Court's decision to continue Michigan's ban on affirmative action. I think that an issue like this, relating to colleges, should be left up to the state. However, since this issue deals with race, a sensitive subject to some, I believe the Supreme Court should ban all affirmative actions in public universities. If a public university is taking money from the government, the government should have a say in what goes on. According to Jess Bravin, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, "higher-education establishment generally favors the use of racial preferences to promote diversity in the student body". While I think these establishments have good intentions of diversifying the campus, it is not fair. Since they are private universities, they do not have to be fair. They can pick and choose how to select their students. But in the case of public schools, affirmative action is not fair. I believe the Supreme Court made the right decision by supporting Michigan's ban, but I do not think states should be able to choose to have affirmative action in public universities.
ReplyDeleteI support the supreme courts decision, but I am also aware of my incredible bias on the topic. This decision gives more power to the states and promotes decisions based on the opinion of the populous. Anything that allows to give the majority the voice is very helpful. As justice Kennedy said, "This case is not about how the debate of racial preference should be resolved, it is about who may resolve it" (Kennedy). I also agree with the decision in the on affirmative action because it makes the the college selection processes more fair. Some people like George Washington say that the decision "allows the voters of each state to decide what the rights of minorities should be and whether they should be admitted to the most selective universities" (Wall Street Journal). However, race should have no factor on the education and dedication the minorities received. It seems hypocritical for a culture that proclaims all are created equal when a few are given advantages.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am happy with the decision, I understand the bias I possess. I am a middle class white male who is trying to work hard and get into college. It is foolish to think that I am not at least somewhat bias because this decision potentially gives me a better chance of getting accepted into colleges. I feel that many people in this class feel the same way since they are in a similar position as myself. I support the supreme court decision, but I fear that my own selfishness causes this feeling.
I believe that the Supreme Court made the right decision in upholding the affirmative action ban in Michigan. I believe that this issue has become a more serious and widespread problem all over the country, and it definitely needs to have boundaries. Colleges should not be accepting people just because they are a particular race so they can look more appealing and equal to everyone, but in reality they seem to be doing just the opposite of that. Looking good to the people and community is something all colleges have competitions with, so “the higher-education establishment generally favors the use of racial preferences to promote diversity in the student body,” (Bravin). I believe that this is an issue because students should be going to the college that works for them, not just accepts them because it looks good for the school. Colleges should be more interested and concerned with the students’ grades, work ethics, and their skills instead of paying more attention to what race they are.
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Court made the correct decision in banning affirmative action because colleges should not be referring to race as a main factor to a student’s acceptance. I fully believe that affirmative action should be banned to end any discrimination. It is unfair that colleges are able to use race as a main factor to a student’s acceptance. As I learned in an article I posted about affirmative action during the first semester, students who do not work as hard as other students may get into a college over the other just because of race. In the ABC World News video clip Steve Shapiro says, “I think this opens the door. I’m not sure how many states are going to walk through that door quite honestly” (Shapiro). I agree with Shapiro’s statement that is opens the doors, meaning that I believe it will affect affirmative action in other states. I hope that Michigan’s decision to ban affirmative action is a turning point for affirmative action in other states across the country.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the Supreme Court's decision due to the possible future effects it could have on the prosperity of the minority population, and therefore the United States. Markeith Jones said he thought the ban of affirmative action was "disgusting" and "infuriat[ing]." He is a minority high school student who is worried about getting into his dream school. He said "If I don't get in then...then... I mean... I'm just going to fight to get in." Not all students have the drive this young man has to go to college. If minority students think they will not get into a college due to discrimination, then they will stop trying. The ABC News video said that states banning affirmative action have seen a drop in minority enrollment. This will cause poor areas where most minorities live to have more people who need government financial support. I feel that the passing of this law could lead the United States towards an economic downturn. Also, affirmative action creates a fair playing field for minorities who live in poverty stricken areas, and do not have the same opportunities as other students in wealthier areas. Minorities can face language barriers. This can make it more difficult for them to learn, but that should not mean that they are less likely to get into a school. I think that overall, affirmative action should be still in effect because it is beneficial to the minority population and the economic status of the United States.
ReplyDeleteI think that the supreme court made the right decision with affirmative action. Making a decision almost solely on somebody's color is completely unfair for both sides. If I was of a different race and because of that race I could get into more colleges I would feel insulted as if my race needed the extra boost up. If the supreme court had not made this decision it would open up controversy as if the supreme court was saying that these other races are somehow better than mine. The fact that "higher-education establishment generally favors the use of racial preferences..." (Wall Street Journal) is simply disheartening to anyone of a race that is not on the preferred list that is trying to get into that college. If I was part of a school that discriminated against my race it would be harder for me to support that school. The supreme court definitely made the right decision on this issue and I support it whole heartedly.
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Courts' decision on letting the state of Michigan vote on whether they should have affirmative action or not was the right decision because, as the Wall Street Journal said, it is not about the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies, but about what branch of government gets to decide whether affirmative action should be allowed or not in any higher education system. By using a ballot initiative, the Supreme Court had found a way to avoid the pressure of the subject of affirmative action being put onto themselves, and instead let democracy make the final decision on the issue within the state of Michigan. As Chief Justice Roberts said in 2007 "the way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race." Why should such a broad topic such as affirmative action be decided upon by just nine people? What I'm saying is if a public higher education school is trying to decide on whether affirmative action is something the school should do, then it should be the people of the state that school is in to vote on whether or not it is necessary. Another key component to this issue is whether or not should race really matter in the administration process. Even if two people have the same type of qualifications to get into a higher education school there must be some differences between the two other than race to help the administration workers decide who to accept into the school. I believe the Supreme Court's decision on the ballot initiative was the right choice on the decision of affirmative action in the University of Michigan.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the supreme court's decision regarding affirmative action in Michigan. The Michigan state constitution requires equal treatment of all races in the college admission process, and I believe that this should be a nationwide law. Some colleges are more likely to use affirmative action to "promote diversity in the student body." In my opinion, this is morally wrong. Regardless of the good intentions involved in diversifying the student population, it creates racial inequality. Affirmative action is not "anti-racism," it is simply racism against the social majority. A sliding admission scale in the college process holds one race to a higher standard than others. This is the definition of racial inequality. I agree with the Supreme Court's decision to back up Michigan. I believe that Michigan, as well as the 8 other states that have banned affirmative action, are headed in the right direction in terms of racial equality.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Supreme Court's decision regarding affirmative action at Michigan was correct. I cannot make myself see how affirmative action helps to do anything but to enforce racism in universities throughout the country. If I was of a minority class and I figured out I got in a college based off of my race and not my academics, I would be insulted. I would want to earn my rightful spot in a college and not have it be handed to me in an effort to appease government standards for affirmative action. Obviously, some colleges want to be racial diverse, and that is a great thing as long as their students deserve to be there. If colleges stay true to affirmative action and refuse to recruit deserving students, regardless of race, then their schools will lessen their academic superiority in an effort to appear racially diverse.
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ReplyDeleteLike many of my classmates, I believe that the Supreme Court made the right decision on affirmative action. A student's ability to get into college should have nothing to do with their race. As Dom said, affirmative action is just enforcing racism and spreading it further. It is understandable that administrators of colleges want a variety of students of different races, but college is a place to study and further one's education. Therefore, the decision should be made based on academics and the student being right for the college, not on racial ethnicity.
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