Connecticut’s state and education leaders respond to Supreme Court decision on affirmative action

(WFSB) – Affirmative action at colleges and universities has been struck down by the Supreme Court.

The decision has been both applauded and condemned.

Connecticut’s state and education leaders are voicing their thoughts about the decision that could impact the college admission landscape.

As the ruling came down from the Supreme Court, a split decision of feelings has now been cast across the education field.

“It’s an outrage that the supreme court in 2023 can try to pretend that race and racism don’t matter and don’t exist,” said CT Attorney General William Tong.

“This decision is a step towards making sure that all of us have an opportunity to be evaluated on who we are on the inside, rather than simply an account of our race or skin color,” said Carol Liebau, President, Yankee Institute.

Affirmative action, a policy put in place in the early 60′s, was meant to level the education playing field.

The policy was put in place to ensure that minority students had an equal chance of getting into colleges as their white counterparts.

Yankee Institute President Carol Liebau believes the ruling is the right one and allows students to be judged on their merits.

“By the time you get to college, it really isn’t fair to any of these young people to simply, at the 11th hour, decide we’ll rectify the wrongs that were done earlier by discriminating on the basis of race,” Liebau said.

The state’s other colleges and universities like Yale, Quinnipiac, and UConn, separately issued statements condemning the ruling and maintaining diversity will remain in their schools.

“It is essential to UConn’s mission as a public university that we create and maintain a student body in which people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds can thrive.”

Some students feel the same way.

“I think it’s very important to see faces and learn about other people as well. So it’d be better if all the schools were more diverse,” said Michelle Sialcis, UConn Senior.

“If these large institutions have the freedom to not consider diversity when admitting their incoming class, then all of these people, especially those of low income of color who have been striving so hard for their dream school, won’t have the opportunity,” said Fatima Sampedro-Valle, Yale.

Schools are saying they will re-evaluate their admissions policies and, through the law, make sure their schools maintain diversity.

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