Quote of the day: Sotomayor explains the stakes

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 22:40:00 +0000

The United States Supreme Court heard arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas today, the court's first major affirmative action case about admission to public universities since 2003. The case was brought on by Abigail Fisher, a woman who was denied admission to The University of Texas at Austin in 2008, claiming that she was discriminated against on the basis of race.

Fisher's case will force the Supreme Court to re-examine policies set forth in 2003--which allow for race to play a limited role in admission at public universities. If overturned, the case could end affirmative action admission policies at public universities.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor summed up the issue at the heart of the case: “At what point — when — do we stop deferring to the university’s judgment that race is still necessary?” she asked. “That’s the bottom line of this case.”

Supreme Court to weigh affirmative action in colleges

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Abigail Noel Fisher applied to the University of Texas at Austin in 2008 and was denied a place. Fisher -- a white woman -- fell short of the top 10 percent of her Texas high school's graduating class, which would have guaranteed her admission into the state university. Instead she had to compete in an applications process in which talents, circumstance and race were all considered. Considering her rejection an instance of discrimination based on race, Fisher, along with one other white girl, sued UT.

Today, Fisher v. University of Texas reaches the Supreme Court. Justices will consider whether the university's consideration of race in admissions is constitutional. According to Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America who has come out in support of UT on this issue, Fisher's suit "challenges the right of all colleges to use race in a holistic process that fosters diverse student bodies."

The SCOTUS hearing has attracted considerable attention; groups and individuals have sent amicus briefs to the court in support of both Fisher and UT (17 briefs support Fisher while 73 support the university). CBS News noted:

Salon.com > Fisher v. University of Texas

Quote of the day: Sotomayor explains the stakes

Supreme Court to weigh affirmative action in colleges