State leaders react to SCOTUS ruling on Affirmative Action

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - In a monumental decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action for college admissions on Thursday.

The court declared race cannot be a factor and is now forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.

Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion, writing Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, “unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful endpoints.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the dissenting opinion, saying the court was “merely” imposing its “preferred college application format” on the country by “taking on the role of college administrators to decide what is better for society.”

NAACP President Bernard Simelton believes Thursday’s ruling was a mistake.

“Well, I think it’s a dark day for Americans, especially for our college students,” said Simelton. “Overall I think the Supreme Court made a horrible, horrible mistake in saying that you can’t use race.”

It’s important to note most colleges in North Alabama will not be impacted by the ruling. Several don’t base admissions upon race.

In a statement a spokesperson for UNA said quote:

“The University of North Alabama values diversity, different perspectives, and the individual experiences of those who attend, engage, and participate at all levels of the institution. However, the University does not consider a student’s race or ethnicity as a determinative factor in admission decisions.”

Dadeville representative Ed Oliver said this decision moves the nation one step closer to greatness.

“I think from a purely objective point of view is the right thing to do,” said Oliver. “I still believe that the future of this country is colorblind, in whatever we’re not doing to get there is wrong. And the bottom line is, you don’t want to think anybody achieved something more than someone else because of the color of their skin.”

And the entire UA network including UAH released a statement saying quote “We are assessing the Court’s ruling, but we have complied and will continue to comply with applicable laws and accreditation standards regarding admissions.”

Click Here to Subscribe on YouTube: Watch the latest WAFF 48 news, sports & weather videos on our YouTube channel!

Copyright 2023 WAFF. All rights reserved.