The Rude Pundit: In Its Affirmative Action Decision, the Supreme Court Shits on Higher Education

[babylonsister]

https://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2023/07/in-its-affirmative-action-decision.html

The Rude Pundit
Proudly lowering the level of political discourse
7/01/2023
In Its Affirmative Action Decision, the Supreme Court Shits on Higher Education


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See, in the roughly 250 or so years I've been teaching, I've led classes with little to no racial diversity and classes with extraordinary diversity. I've seen how diversity in hiring has an effect on the students and I've seen how diversity within the classroom impacts all students, white and non-white. So let me put this plainly: diversity and equity in higher education are pedagogically important in the classroom in a way that continues after graduation. Lemme put it even more plainly: this shit matters so that students of all races learn how to fucking exist in the real world.

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And what about the notion put forth by some on the right that we just don't need affirmative action programs anymore? That's bullshit. "Current rates of change suggest that it would take about 70 years for all not-for-profit institutions to reflect underrepresented students fully in their incoming student population...For Black and Native American students and for faculty from all underrepresented populations, there was effectively no progress from 2013 to 2020," says a 2022 report. If anything, the actual numbers would call for more intensive emphasis on diverse recruitment. That's reality. And we know in places where affirmative action has been banned that the numbers of Black and Hispanic students dropped a whole lot in flagship universities.

Roberts goes on endlessly about the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. But if you're going to apply it to justify eliminating programs that attempt to enhance the education of all students under the idea that all races aren't being treated absolutely, totally, constantly equal all the time, then why not use it to ensure that equality of opportunity in all education is assured? Why not force states to make sure that public schools in all places are offering the same level of funding and same level of services? In other words, if you wanna eliminate the need for affirmative action, then eliminate some of the things that cause it to be necessary.

Or you just want to harm Black and brown people and don't give a fuck otherwise.

(Note: I can't leave this fucked up discussion without saying something about elite colleges, two of which were the defendants in these cases. Really, this was all about some students upset they didn't get accepted to Harvard or UNC-Chapel Hill, even though they might not have gotten in anyways. It's fucking absurd that we give so much importance to schools that are circle jerks of privilege, as if that's the only route to success in an area. US News and World Report's rankings can go suck all the dicks. You can get an amazing education in hundreds of other schools. Why would you want to got to schools that let George W. Bush or Jared Kushner in just because of their rich daddies?)

[Biophilic]

1. The man does have a way with words.

Why would you want to go to schools that let Bush and Kushner just because of their rich daddies?

[calimary]

3. Mainly if you fancy yourself as being among the power set someday.

Just a guess, but friendships (and “friendships”) get started for all kinds of reasons.

Again, just another worthwhile argument for TERM LIMITS for Supreme Court justices.

NO MORE LIFETIME APPOINTMENTS!!!

[TigressDem]

2. BUT if RACE is completely --- COMPLETELY --- out of it....

Then the Supreme Court has accidentally done the right thing.

IF you CAN NOT take race into the equation, then schools must do "color blind" selections.

Assign a number and look at qualifications. NOTHING ELSE.

CAN'T allow someone's FAMILY CONTRIBUTIONS into the equations, because that is RACIALLY BIASED.

NO RACE FACTORING means NO race factoring.

[Uncle Joe]

4. I believe this is precisely what they fear because normalization threatens oligarchic power

by eliminating or greatly diminishing cultural fault lines which have been traditionally exploited virtually every election cycle as a means of divide and conquer by the mega-wealthy.

(snip)

See, in the roughly 250 or so years I've been teaching, I've led classes with little to no racial diversity and classes with extraordinary diversity. I've seen how diversity in hiring has an effect on the students and I've seen how diversity within the classroom impacts all students, white and non-white. So let me put this plainly: diversity and equity in higher education are pedagogically important in the classroom in a way that continues after graduation. Lemme put it even more plainly: this shit matters so that students of all races learn how to fucking exist in the real world.

Frankly, I think that's what the people who are against affirmative action fear most: the normalization of diversity. Goddamn, I have taught in places where classes of 30 or 40 had one or two non-white students, if that. I loved teaching those students and gave it my all, but it feels so divorced from what they are almost guaranteed to experience outside that classroom. It matters. I know everyone on the right thinks higher education is either a waste of time or a means to a job, but it's also teaching you what it means to be in a diverse country. It makes you a better, more open-minded member of this damned society.

(snip)

https://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2023/07/in-its-affirmative-action-decision.html

Thanks for the thread babylonsister.

[Lonestarblue]

5. I'm retired now, but during my work years I had the privilege of working with a few outstanding

Black co-workers. I never once thought any of them to be less competent than white colleagues, and indeed some of them were far above white colleagues. Two of the brightest and most capable became friends as well as colleagues, and even they—with stellar work ethics and degrees from prestigious schools, including doctorates—were made to feel that they were “leas than” simply because they were always put forth when the organization wanted to show its diversity. I think I as a white person would not have handled the situation with as much grace as they did. And happily today, both are leading organizations where they are in charge and their talents are leading to personal and business success. That we as a society are willing to deny people like this even an opportunity to succeed is beyond depressing.