CAP"s Danyelle Solomon Responds to Fisher v. University of Texas Supreme Court Decision

CAP’s Danyelle Solomon Responds to Fisher v. University of Texas Supreme Court Decision
Author

Center for American Progress

Release Date

Thursday, June 23, 2016

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Washington, D.C. — In an important victory for all Americans, the Supreme Court ruled today in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin to uphold the university’s race-conscious admissions program in a 4-3 vote that honors key, decades-old precedent. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed that decision. Danyelle Solomon, Director of Progress 2050 at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:

By upholding precedent and the University of Texas at Austin’s race-conscious admissions program today, the Court recognized the value that diversity brings to the classroom and to the enrichment of the nation. The Court has aligned itself with the 63 percent of Americans who support affirmative action on college campuses—programs that help ensure that all students have a fair shot at overcoming obstacles to educational opportunity. In a little more than 30 years, people of color will constitute the majority of this nation’s population, and already, a majority of children under age 1 are children of color. We must ensure that they and and the next generation have access to colleges to ensure opportunity. Today, we are thankful that the Supreme Court recognized the constitutionality of affirmative action programs.

This is the second time the Court has heard Fisher, after remanding the case three years ago for renewed review by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Since then, the 5th Circuit re-endorsed the university’s use of racial preferences in undergraduate admissions decisions and found the program constitutional.

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