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Connecticut leaders react to Supreme Court striking down affirmative action

State colleges and universities say this decision is “extremely disappointing.”

CONNECTICUT, USA — In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions on Thursday. 

This forces higher education institutions to look for other ways to diversify their student bodies since race can no longer be a factor in admissions.

“I strongly, strongly disagree with the court's decision.," said President Joe Biden, addressing the ruling Thursday afternoon.

The court allowed race to be used as a factor in admissions for the past 20 years, but Thursday, the court's conservative majority specifically found Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discriminated against White and Asian American applicants by using race-based admission policies in their attempts to promote diversity on their campuses. 

In that majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, “University programs must comply with strict scrutiny, they may never use race as a stereotype or negative, and -- at some point -- they must end.” 

“It’s an outrage that the Supreme Court, in 2023, can try to pretend that race and racism don't matter and don’t exist," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said.

Soon after the decision was made, local and state officials expressed outrage, some characterizing the decision as rolling back “momentous progress” made in America. 

“I think that this very misguided decision is a step backward by a court that seems to be rolling back rights of all kinds," said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

"Discrimination still exists in America," President Biden added. "Today's decision does not change that. It's a simple fact.” 

Connecticut students agree. 

“The idea of striking down affirmative action kind of presumes that there's a level playing field in the country for people of all racial backgrounds when in reality, it's very clear that there is not," said Wesleyan Univerisity rising senior Amina Mednicoff-Misra.

She says as a mixed-race student, diversity and representation are incredibly important to her and her university experience. 

“I really hope that schools will find ways to work with that and to still use ways of continuing to work towards equity and diversity with this ruling," Mednicoff-Misra continued. 

The University of Connecticut addressed the decision in a message to students and faculty. Read the full statement here

President Biden told colleges and universities Thursday despite this decision, they must still ensure diversity on campuses, something Connecticut leaders want to see happen, too.

“I think long term, we need to lean into it," Tong said. "Do what we can to protect our students and make sure these kids are prepared for the world. The world’s not waiting for us. They don’t care what John Roberts had to say today.” 

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Tong said in a statement that efforts to pit Asian-American students against their classmates are deeply hurtful and unhelpful. He called Thursday's decision a "gut punch."

“The Supreme Court majority got it all wrong – our Constitution’s meaning, our history, and the enduring reality of discrimination in this country,” Tong said. “The Fourteenth Amendment was written to bring justice to Black Americans after centuries of brutal slavery. It remains a bulwark against discrimination. It doesn’t blind us to race. Instead, it demands that we stay alert to the painful reality of racism. And it leaves private and public colleges and universities free to promote racial and ethnic diversity. Today is a gut punch. But even a hostile Supreme Court cannot bend the arc of the moral universe away from justice.”

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said in a statement that students benefit from learning among those who come from different backgrounds.  

“Yet again the Supreme Court has chosen to dismantle decades of settled law, legislating from behind the bench and effectively derailing years of progress. Racism and discrimination remain rampant in our country, and it is incumbent on us all to promote diversity, inclusion – and equitable access to opportunity." 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal said in a statement that the Supreme Court has taken a "massive step backward." 

“Diversity has helped make our higher education system the best in the world. Racially diverse classrooms benefit all students. With this decision, the Court has dealt a major blow to the fight for equality and racial justice—impeding underrepresented minority students from accessing a world-class education and the American dream. After decades of progress, the Supreme Court has taken a massive step backwards which will harm students of color, exacerbate racial disparities, and sideline the perspectives and lived experiences of millions of Americans,” Blumenthal said.

Sen. Chris Murphy said the decision was a "devastating blow to the decades of progress toward improving racial diversity in higher education."

"This out-of-touch ruling will have consequences far beyond who gets access to a college education; it all but ensures that future generations of teachers, business executives, doctors, and lawyers, among others, will look less like America than they do today," he said in a statement, adding: "Ending affirmative action will further entrench racial inequality in education and directly undermines the intent of the Fourteenth Amendment. All students benefit from a diverse campus. In the wake of this decision, we have to double down on our efforts to make sure students who continue to face discrimination on the basis of their race have the same educational opportunities as their peers."

In his statement, Gov. Ned Lamont said the ruling takes the country backward.

"College students learn from one another, and college campuses only benefit from diverse student bodies coming together to learn and grow," he said. "In Connecticut, our public and private higher education institutions pride themselves on recruiting students of all backgrounds and perspectives and providing them a high-quality academic experience. They’ve been planning for this day and will taking a holistic approach to the admissions process, including outreach to marginalized and underserved communities, developing a robust, culturally competent curriculum, and ensuring our student body and our staff are representative of all our communities.”

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro said that the decision is a roadblock to progress. 

Once more, the activist conservatives on the Supreme Court have put a giant roadblock in our progress: this country’s achieving equality for all Americans. The consequences of this decision will be immediate – fewer students from disadvantaged backgrounds will have the opportunity and access to get an education that helps them get ahead in life.

“Think about the implications of this decision: to deny a young person – who is at a disadvantage because of their skin color, class, gender, or family background – an opportunity in our education. To deny the history of discrimination against women, people of color, and low-income individuals is to deny reality. They were not given an unfair advantage over others. They were given a chance that they could make it in a system that was not designed with them in mind and often, designed in a way that purposefully put them at a disadvantage.

“A good education can open doors for young people. Now, I fear that because of this decision, so many just had a door shut in their face. We must work to bring individuals in – to expand access to education, not limit it. I will work with the Biden Administration and colleges and universities to right this wrong.

Connecticut GOP leaders tweeted: 

Connecticut NAACP State Conference President & National Board Member Scot X. Esdaile 

“Today, the Supreme Court moved the country backwards by undermining the hard-fought victories for Black students in their pursuit of a high-quality education. Affirmative action has been a tool to remove barriers from equal access to higher education. Today is a reminder that we just re-double our efforts to fight against policies that condone money, power and privilege. The NAACP will not tolerate racist policies or tactics in our colleges and universities. We will continue to mobilize and organize to ensure leaders and institutions enact and uphold policies that reflect equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Rep. John B. Larson said in a statement, “Today’s Supreme Court decision to roll back affirmative action will negatively impact our nation’s efforts for equality. All students deserve a fair shot at a quality education, regardless of their income, where they grew up, or their racial and ethnic background. Racial discrimination is not an issue of the past, and I remain committed to ensuring equal opportunity in higher education for all students.”

House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said in a statement, "The effort to engineer equality in higher education by prioritizing skin color in admission processes was a failed proposition, with race-based affirmative action programs carrying their own wrongheaded version of discrimination. Merit and skill, rather than race, should be the ultimate factors of why students are granted entry to college, and I applaud the Supreme Court’s narrow decision today declaring that race cannot be a specific factor in admission decisions.”

This article will be updated as more reactions come from local and state officials on the Supreme Court's decision.

Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

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