Teenagers from all over the country are weighing in on the Supreme Court’s June decision.
In June, the Supreme Court’s ruling to deny admissions based on race in colleges and universities across the country shook up years of law and the landscape of higher education. This ruling will change the structure of a number of America’s most prestigious colleges and universities, as well as the future prospects of students wanting to study at them.
We asked teenagers to discuss the matter. To what degree you, if at all, do you believe race should be taken into consideration in deciding which college applicants to accept? We sought their opinions.
For many teens, this is the very first time that they encountered affirmative action. Some were uncertain about the extent of race being utilized by colleges in making admissions decisions. Others were knowledgeable about the policy, dispelling myths and voicing their opinions.
Below, we provide a snapshot of the broad-ranging discussion that provides a glimpse of how teens across the country are pondering the end of affirmative action based on race and what that could mean for them as they begin to create their college applications.
Thanks to everyone who took part in this week’s activities including pupils from Fountain Valley High School located in Fountain Valley, Calif.; Roaring Fork High School located in Carbondale, Colo. as well as Saint Peter High School located in Saint Peter, Minn.
Note Comments from students were lightly edited to improve length, but look as if they were originally written.
Some students lamented the Supreme Court’s decision, saying that affirmative action helped make college admissions more equitable.
I believe that many people don’t fully understand the meaning of affirmative action. It’s not a way of choosing the POC pupil over a white one due to race. Affirmative action is “the practice or policy of favoring individuals belonging to groups regarded as disadvantaged or subject to discrimination, over similarly qualified non-minority individuals.
While affirmative action was declared illegal, the race of applicants should be considered when colleges select the applicants they will accept. This will give minorities that have been a victim of the insidious racism that exists in our society to stand a better chance of being admitted to colleges. This does not mean that POC are less than other groups, however, our system is racist, which is why we continue the pattern of minorities being denied certain opportunities.
Others backed the decision and argued that eliminating race as a factor could result in a fair procedure for all.
Work ethic and equality is what universities need to be aware of. Students who have worked hard to improve their marks, joined clubs, and engaged in extracurricular activities should have the right to be recognized regardless of race. The ending of the affirmative action was a good choice and is a reminder to students that their full commitment to their education and the community is what colleges look for, and what colleges will take into consideration. Schools are looking for students who show the qualities of leadership, passion, and dedication to their work, and that’s what they should look for in every student.
As a student in high school and a bi-racial person, I must agree with the court’s decision. Naturally, when you write your admissions essay, you will be able to discuss your challenges due to race, but every person deserves to be able to attend the university of their choice. To be able to get into college, you must be committed to your studies, be smart, and have the ability to demonstrate leadership qualities, not on your race or ethnicity. are. It should be determined by merit, not an quota of various races.
I love the idea of having different campuses, but not at the cost of the work ethic. I believe that everyone is equal, so everyone should be treated the same and have the equal opportunities. I believe that schools should pay more attention to the effort put into by students rather than race.
Some people argue that certain races aren’t more privileged than others. This is true to a certain extent, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to generalize it in the sense of deciding one group over another because of race. There are both rich and poor people from all races and ethnicities which implies that there are people who have greater opportunities as well as those who have less chances (race isn’t the only factor that affects opportunities).