With our correspondent in Washington, Guillaume Naudin
Since the affirmative action programs were launched in 1965, on each occasion, the last time in 2016, the highest court in the country had ruled in favor of these programs. It ended this Thursday, June 29, 2023.
Unsurprisingly, the court’s conservative majority has spoken. The six conservative, even ultra-conservative judges made this decision, and the three so-called liberal judges write what is called a dissenting opinion.
The decision is 267 pages. It invites public and private universities to use criteria other than race in their admissions programs to ensure diversity in the recruitment of their students. Criteria such as the income or geographical origin of candidates for admission.
But African-American associations believe this will reduce the number of blacks and Latinos in major universities. This decision follows complaints from collectives of white and Asian students who felt they were discriminated against by these programs.
Biden ‘strongly disagrees’
This historic decision provoked many reactions. President Joe Biden has changed his program to express his deep disagreement with this decision, which he can do nothing about since it is final. And he’s asking universities to find new ways to ensure their students represent the country’s diversity.
« I strongly, strongly disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision. “, which returned to ” decades of case law he said in a televised address. The universities “ should not abandon their commitment to ensuring that students have diverse experiences that reflect all of America “, he added.
Trump hails ” a great day for america »
This decision by the Supreme Court drew a chorus of applause from the right. “ Positive discrimination is systemic discrimination Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on Twitter. ” I am happy that the Supreme Court ruled that this discrimination was unconstitutional. Admissions should be decided on the basis of merit, not skin color. »
Former president and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination of 2024, Donald Trump, praised in this decision of the Court ” a great day for america ». « People with extraordinary abilities and all that is needed to succeed (…) are finally rewarded “, he said on his social network Truth Social.
2023-06-29 18:49:52
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