The Supreme Court invalidated affirmative action in higher education last week. This means that colleges and universities will not take race into account when selecting students. Now, local institutions and students prepare for the repercussions.
Margarita Gutierrez Lemus, the senior program director for College Possible Oregon, stated –
“I think this decision is only going to increase the disparities of students of color getting into college.”
It will also increase the necessity and significance of our program for the students we support. College Possible is an organization that assists students from underrepresented communities in gaining admission to and graduating from college. While Gutierrez Lemus is dissatisfied with the decision, she noted that affirmative action in its current form is not perfect.
She stated –
“Affirmative action wasn’t the perfect solution and I honestly don’t know what the perfect solution would be to mitigate some of the impacts that exclusion from higher education has had on students of color.”
Do you know that Sophia Beckmon of Oregon City is getting global attention as the state record holder in the long jump for Oregon? The Class of 2023 graduate of OC Pioneer is on the road to tremendous success:
It is unclear, according to Gutierrez Lemus, how this decision will affect university admissions. Alongside this decision, several institutions, including Oregon State, have already affirmed their commitment to fostering diversity.
University spokesperson Steve Clark said –
“We’re very strongly committed to providing opportunities for people of diversity whether they be students of color, adult learners of color, first-generation students.”
A number of Twitter users have shared and responded to the news of the Affirmative Action Ban –
Constitutional scholars, black conservatives, Asian Americans praise ruling banning affirmative actionhttps://t.co/CbwsV3Ako8
— Oregon Tea Party 🇺🇲 (@OregonTeaParty) July 3, 2023
I know Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Massachusetts, Montana and some others have open referendum provisions. Other states don’t, but how hard would it really be for the Texas or Alabama state legislatures to pass a law banning affirmative action
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) July 2, 2023
#affirmativeaction pic.twitter.com/jk17TTHT0c
— Oregon’s COVID Disaster (@OregonCovid) July 2, 2023
Why? Affirmative Action is discrimination. Democrats support discrimination in Oregon now.
— Jim (@Jim_Oregon) July 2, 2023
Gutierrez Lemus stated that she will continue to encourage her students as the nation awaits the complete implications of this ruling.
She stated –
“You do belong in college, no matter what anyone says, you can be successful and graduate and enter the workforce and have a career.”
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