The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Fisher v. University of Texas this past December. The case centers around the use of race in admissions at the University of Texas at Austin. The University of Texas at Austin considers race as one of various factors in its undergraduate admissions process. Abigail Fisher, who is Caucasian, was rejected for admission to the University’s 2008 entering class. She sued the University and school officials, alleging that the University’s consideration of race in admissions violated the Equal Protection Clause. Ms. Fisher contends was rejected because of her race.
This case was originally argued before the Supreme Court in 2012 and the Justices issued a narrow opinion sending the case back down to a lower court for another look. The Supreme Court has taken the case again and will issue their opinion sometime this year.
For those of you interested in this topic, I suggest you take a look at the following books in Library collection.
Affirmative Action and Racial Equity is a critical resource which helps the reader understand the nuances of the affirmative action legal debate and identify the challenges and potential strategies toward racial equity and inclusion moving forward.
Controversies in Affirmative Action is an engaging and eclectic collection of essays from leading scholars on the subject, which looks at affirmative action past and present, analyzes its efficacy, its legacy, and its role in the future of the United States.
What precisely is affirmative action, and why is it fiercely championed by some and just as fiercely denounced by others? Does it signify a boon or a stigma? Or is it simply reverse discrimination? What are its benefits and costs to American society? What are the indications determining who should or should not be accorded affirmative action? When should affirmative action end, if it must? In For Discrimination, Randall Kennedy gives a concise summary of the policy.
