The U.S. Supreme Court decision on Friday, Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, is a step backward.

As stated by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, race has always been a part of decision-making in the United States. Slavery was based on race for 400 years.

It is a disgraceful decision, similar to the court’s previous ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) that a Black man has no rights that a white man is bound to respect.

Now when universities and schools are trying their best to include people of color who were previously excluded in its education programs, the court says this cannot be done.

Justice Clarence Thomas, a recipient of affirmative action, now seeks to deny this to others, closing the door on opportunities he enjoys. This is very sad.

However, there is hope that this awful decision will be overturned by future Supreme Court justices, just as Plessy v. Ferguson eventually was overturned. It is a sad reminder that freedom and justice must continually be fought for. No time to rest.

Daphne Barbee-Wooten

Punchbowl

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