GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Thursday morning, July 29, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 that Affirmative Action is unconstitutional. The decision stems from a pair of cases regarding the admissions process at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.
Cle Jackson, president of the Greater Grand Rapids Branch of the NAACP, said even though the Affirmative Action was banned in Michigan years ago, the decision is still impactful.
“I think it’s devastating for this country. However, I’m not surprised,” Jackson said during an interview with FOX 17 on Thursday afternoon. ”So, when I got a call this morning actually about the ruling from the Supreme Court, you know, we again started to kind of talk about what the impact of this is on higher education, not only higher education but other industries.”
Jackson said he’s concerned about the ruling’s impact on the public and private workplace, and companies that have implemented DEI — diversity, equity, inclusion — practices and departments.
The crux of the SCOTUS decision was on the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which Jackson believes is clear. He said it was included in the Constitution to give Black people and other people of color “unfettered access” to services in education and other fields.
“I think the 14th Amendment is clear,” he said. “It goes to the heart of equality. Yes, we passed the 14th Amendment but specifically it says equal rights and that’s protection.”
President Joe Biden spoke about the ruling around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday from the White House. Three times, consecutively, he said “discrimination still exists in America.” He went on to talk about how the college admissions process works.
Jackson said that’s a key point to remember.
“The way it works in practice is the college is first established qualified pool of candidates based on meeting certain grade, test scores and other criteria, then,” President Biden said. “Only then, then and only then, it is from this pool of applicants, all of whom have already met the school standards, that the class is chosen after weighing a wide range of factors among that be race.”
Jackson reiterated that criteria still had to be met for all students of color.
FOX 17 reached out to Grand Valley State University, which provided the following statement:
"Grand Valley State University has made great strides in fostering a diverse and inclusive community on our campuses. The Supreme Court rulings will not deter us from our mission and have no impact on our current policies. Our university has long upheld a policy that does not consider race or gender in admissions decisions and aligns with a constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2006.Grand Valley remains resolute in our dedication to enrich society through the advancement of equity. Our Reach Higher 2025 initiative serves as a testament to our enduring pursuit of an inclusive community where every individual has access to opportunities and the support to thrive regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances."
Jackson said he believes the focus now is on having tough conversations about race with elected officials in Michigan to make sure that people’s rights are protected, and to collectively establish with a path forward.
“It’s very disturbing. It’s very concerning and I think we all need to speak out about it,” Jackson said. “And I think more importantly what this shows to America is elections have consequences. Elections have consequences.”
