Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision on the Use of Affirmative Action in Higher Education from Carol Thompson Cole, President and CEO of Youth Invest Partners

At Youth Invest Partners, we are disheartened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and SFFA v. University of North Carolina. Their rulings that race-based admissions policies are unlawful end affirmative action in college admissions and erode longstanding efforts to address the legacy of racism in higher education.

As Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said in her dissenting opinion,

“With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces ‘colorblindness for all’ by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life… race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in innumerable ways, and today’s ruling makes things worse, not better.”

We agree with Justice Jackson. Persistent, race-relevant barriers continue to impede Black and Brown young people’s self-determined, full participation in our society. Youth Invest Partners firmly believes that our country cannot eliminate the continued legacy of institutional racism, or its impact in the lives of its Black and Brown citizens, by pretending it does not exist. It is crucial that all institutions implement and sustain race-conscious policies that move the needle on racial equity and address the disparate outcomes Black Americans and communities of color continue to face.

Career and college readiness is a critical component of our work to ensure our young people grow and thrive into adulthood. The transition point from high school to higher education is key to ensuring students do not become disconnected from academic instruction or the workforce.

In our more than two decades of work across the Greater Washington region, we have confronted and worked to dismantle the existing systemic barriers facing students of color, particularly Black and Brown students. These obstacles often deny these young people and their families access to resources and opportunities from early childhood education programs to higher education. Affirmative action has been a critical tool to  address those historical injustices and offer Black Americans and other communities that have been historically marginalized unobstructed opportunities to thrive. Research on state affirmative action bans has shown that Black and Brown students have suffered due to the dismantling of affirmative action. A recent paper on California’s ban of affirmative action in public schools found that, at the state’s most selective public schools, Black and Hispanic enrollment decreased by 40% in the year after the proposition passed and that students also faced long-term economic disparities. 

Equally concerning in the Courts’ rulings is the inherent support of the notion that diversity is not a worthy goal of our institutions. At Youth Invest Partners, we know that diversity is our strength and critical to our future prosperity. In all institutions, but particularly universities and college campuses, diversity has immeasurable benefits, according to an extensive body of research. Diverse environments improve cognitive skills and critical thinking for students, prepare them for an increasingly global and diverse workforce, increase civic and community engagement, and foster creativity and innovation, according to an article by American University’s School of Education. Affirmative action does not only benefit Black and Brown students, but ensures all students have an environment that is rich with diversity and new perspectives that will help them grow, thrive, and find their place in the world. And without that, we do our nation and ourselves a disservice.

We are committed to doing our part to continue ensuring every young person in Greater Washington has the tools, opportunities, and resources to achieve their dreams and goals. We know our nonprofit partners, many of whom prepare high school students for their transition into higher education, will do the same. And we will continue to support and uplift their critical work. Our work will be immeasurably harder if we are constrained from addressing the continuing impact of racism in our society or, even, naming it.

While the Court’s rulings do not offer a way forward, we encourage policymakers, advocates, community members, and decision makers across sectors throughout the country, but particularly in our Greater Washington communities, to come together and support race-conscious policies that protect the progress our nation has made to ensure higher education is accessible and attainable for ALL young people. Our young people are beyond capable and deserve every opportunity to thrive. Together, we can remove the barriers that stand in their way and clear a path for them to reach their fullest potential.

Sincerely,

Carol Thompson Cole

President and CEO