Two years ago, the Supreme Court was caught in the opportunity for underrepresented groups to obtain higher education, causing a devastating blow to the U.S. opportunity. This decision is not only misled legally, but also turns a blind eye to the profound inequalities that have long shaped our education system. Our universities are scrambling to find legitimate tools to ensure that their students’ bodies still reflect the talent and commitment of this country.
One of the tools is landscape, which recently canceled by the University Board, granted data on admissions staff on student high schools and communities, with explicitly excluding race or race.
Standardized test scores and GPA never tell the whole story. Median household income, access to advanced placement courses, local crime rates and other key indicators help enrollees see the full picture and provide a critical environment to help identify highly accomplished students from disadvantaged communities. These are students that universities may ignore. Tools that make context-level – not by lowering standards, but by improving based on student merit and obstacles overcome.
Even in developing diversity initiatives, the Supreme Court has made it clear that universities can explore equitable alternatives to racial neutrality. The use of socioeconomic and geographical factors is precisely an alternative. Although U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s latest non-combination guideline warnings about the use of geographic indicators as a “agent” for race, there is no doubt that abandoning considerations of these elements of applicant background is not a legal requirement, but a political choice, reflecting fear rather than courage.
Without the tools to consider the obstacles students face, universities will rely on overwhelmingly supporting privileged practices that will shut down low-income and first-generation students who have beaten odds. This has allowed millions of opportunities to destroy opportunities that our campuses and our country will suffer. Diversity is not the box to be checked. This is an important engine for education and democracy. The classroom that brings students from all walks of life together prepares all graduates to lead a diverse society, foster innovation and strengthen our communities.
We cannot allow the Supreme Court ruling and the withdrawal of decades of progress in the creepy effect that follows. Moreover, we cannot let educational institutions give up their responsibilities in this crisis. Data that provides applicants with a wider background is still available, but there is no intention to use it, and for students who need them the most, too many goalkeepers remain closed.
No matter where you come from, the United States has always promised to reward hard work and perseverance. If we allow wealthy and affluent educational opportunities, the promise will fall into air conditioning. Universities and universities must deliver on this promise by continuing to seek and support students who have succeeded with odds. Fairness requires it, equal opportunity requires it, and the future of our country depends on it.
