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Jason Riley on a brief filed with the Supreme Court challenging racial preferences in college admissions
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I joining us now live -- -- is Jason Riley he is with the wall street journal editorial board and has an article right now on Wall Street Journal dot com.
And it has to do with affirmative action debates and and as we follow this throughout the years and we know usually focuses on how whites blacks and Hispanics are impacted the last week.
For Asian American organizations filed a brief with the Supreme Court the -- -- racial preferences in college.
-- missions -- Jason give us the story of what's going on here.
Well the Supreme Court is hearing a case it's known as Fisher V university attacks as the woman Avago official white woman.
Was denied admission to the University of Texas under there.
Affirmative action program which takes race into account and she sued in the -- made -- what the case is made its way up to the Supreme Court and and as you mentioned in unit option typically are debates about affirmative action concern.
How they affect whites and blacks or Hispanics.
So when a group of other Asian organizations filed a brief in the case.
Defending picture and against his affirmative action policies.
It caught the attention of of a lot of people there are a few Asian organizations that -- opposed affirmative action in the past.
But not these particular groups and what their argument was is that.
These policies.
Hurt Asian students to the extent that they'd punish the highest achieving students who have been a disproportionate number of the highest achieving student.
Are of course agent in our system.
And and the people.
He spoke -- about this article and what is the reaction then that this type of suit was filed.
-- a brief but that was filed on what what is what people sent.
Well I I think.
You know civil rights groups.
Tend to like to stick together they see strength in numbers and I think there's a little bit of concern.
In that community that these folks to sort of broken off as I said typically.
Asian organizations have sided with blacks and and and Hispanics and other minorities when it comes to -- Well.
And when it comes to supporting policies like affirmative action but the argument that this group made as a compelling one they said.
Particular -- at the high X selective schools in the US.
It's a zero sum game there are only a fixed number of slots.
And getting advantages to certain races there's certain minority groups necessarily means disadvantage and others and in their case they're saying.
Asians are disproportionately.
Disadvantaged -- they have some data.
On their side to support this the University of California.
Back in 1996.
Banned the use of race in college admissions at public schools and after they did that patient enrollment skyrocketed.
At those schools showing that these policies had in fact who you know had schools holding -- hires them.
And in the cannot on the numbers talking about this you talk about this in the article.
Here in 1995 I was also reading through your article 1995 Asian freshman enrollment at the University of California Berkeley is up in a really tough right about yeah was 37 point 3% the next you're California banned affirmative action.
That number as you -- skyrocket.
-- 46 point 6%.
The inside of ten years that number went up by -- tremendously and it.
Everyone in higher education is aware that this goes on.
Princeton and Harvard were -- under investigation -- they.
Department of Education civil rights division earlier this year.
Being accused of of discriminating against Asian.
Students these schools -- -- again the elite schools are worried about Asians being.
Over represented on campus so they hold the Asian applicants to higher standards making these kids essentially have to be.
Not just the best students in the country but the vast Asian students from the -- It's not fair and it's wrong and I'm I'm glad to see these groups coming out in support of abolishing these policies.
What's gonna happen next.
Well we'll see what what the Supreme Court decides.
You know that the Roberts court has a number of of members that I think.
We'll side being with with opponents of affirmative action it might be a case that comes down.
Once again that Justice Kennedy.
Depending on what side that he rolls out of there at the morning he -- he writes that decision but com.
Of them but I think there's there's some real hope that -- you know when the court took this case.
There was an indication that on they might be ready to agree to revisited in and decided in a different way than they did back in 2003 which last time they looked at.
Affirmative action higher education so I'm I'm I'm optimistic.
And we have a comment from one of our viewers ultra right one thanks for writing and once again saying how all about we let a person's grade be the determining factor.
Now that be too simple but -- but I mean it's you know that's probably maybe some of the reaction that you've been hearing about.
Sure -- What's unique about this case again this is how it hurts the the most successful students the highest achieving some -- we don't.
Here a lot about the effects of affirmative action on those -- but it goes to show you that you know when you attempt.
To grant favors to one group who you -- necessarily disadvantaged and other groups that's what.
Comes across in these cases that's the point.
That this brief maiden and I don't think it's a point that's made often enough again the focus is always on the underperforming kids and how affirmative action can help them.
And of course it -- that it does no such thing it hurts the kids at the bottom as well.
Particularly Biden -- matching them with schools when they don't meet the qualifications.
When California banned.
Affirmative action higher education in its public schools not only did -- and -- spike.
And Hispanic graduation rates also spike because kids we're being placed in schools within that the abilities to do the work.
But in the proponents of of affirmative action really don't care about how many kids graduate they just want to make sure that freshman class has the right look -- And then they're done with it.
Jason Riley with -- wall street journal editorial board you -- find this article that Jason is written on the Wall Street Journal dot com website.
And can people find you and what are the nobody better eye Wall Street Journal and then the article there and -- -- very interesting thank you so much for being with -- -- you here today really appreciate it.
