But for years the justification of affirmative action has been rife with dissimulation. Universities are wedded for life to increasing racial diversity; the Supreme Court said that this was largely illegal, but left a loophole; and so colleges would exploit this sole loophole in a big way. And they did so after the Supreme Court last year struck down affirmative action in college admissions, leaving essays the only place for applicants to directly indicate their racial and ethnic backgrounds. A recent Gallup poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans showed support for the ban on affirmative action. But the end of affirmative action in colleges led some to reconsider, counselors said.

Source: New York Times January 21, 2024 22:02 UTC