US Biden "Strongly Opposes Ruling Declaring Affirmative Action Unconstitutional"

"This is a measure that reverses decades of precedent and important progress. I strongly oppose it." On the 29th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden strongly criticized the Supreme Court's ruling declaring affirmative action unconstitutional.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

President Biden said at a White House press conference immediately after the Supreme Court ruling, "We cannot let this decision be the final word." Earlier, the Supreme Court ruled affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional. This means the minority preference admission policy, considered one of the achievements of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, will disappear.

In response, President Biden expressed agreement with the dissenting opinion, saying, "This deviates from decades of precedent." He pointed out, "The Supreme Court can make rulings, but it cannot change what America stands for."

President Biden stated, "We believe our universities are stronger when they are racially diverse," and argued, "We need a new path forward." He emphasized the need for measures that secure educational diversity, including race, without violating the ruling. The Biden administration is reported to have discussed possible enforcement actions ahead of the Supreme Court decision.

He urged universities, "You must not abandon your commitment to ensuring students from diverse backgrounds and experiences." He then proposed "considering a 'new admissions standard' that takes into account the adversities students have overcome when selecting among qualified applicants." This is based on the fact that while the Supreme Court ruled the systems operated by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the parties to the lawsuit, unconstitutional, it did not prohibit considering race as one of the factors. Additionally, President Biden cautioned companies not to misuse the Supreme Court's decision in their hiring processes.

President Biden emphasized, "Discrimination still exists in America," and said, "Today's decision does not change this simple fact." He also confirmed that he has instructed the Department of Education to analyze policies that help expand inclusivity and diversity among university members and those that hinder it. Among the hindering policies, he cited the 'legacy' system, which favors children of alumni.

On the same day, the White House issued a statement saying, "The Supreme Court's decision risks setting America back," and "The Biden administration will fight to preserve the hard-won progress in promoting racial equity, civil rights, and expanding educational opportunities for all Americans."

Earlier, Students for Fair Admissions (SFA) filed lawsuits in 2014 against the public University of North Carolina and the private Harvard University, claiming that affirmative action discriminated against white and Asian applicants. They lost in the first and second trials. However, on this day, the Supreme Court ruled the policy unconstitutional with votes of 6-3 and 6-2, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.