On June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action, which ended admissions into colleges and universities in the nation based on race in the United States. The decision has faced much controversy as many in the nation claim affirmative action discriminates against white and asian students, while others argue that affirmative action gave black and hispanic students, who on average had a lower income, a chance at higher education which they otherwise would not have.

With the college application season in full swing, The Chieftain has set out to gather the opinions of Piscataway seniors who are currently applying to colleges on their opinion on the decision. Some students argued that the removal of affirmative action damaged the educational opportunities granted to marginalized communities in the United States.

One senior, Lesly, claimed that, “It should not have been removed. It is a pretty poor decision by the supreme court which only hurts minorities trying to get into colleges.”

Another student Nikolas agreed saying, “Affirmative Action helps benefit the Black community and marginalized groups who lack educational opportunities. Removing it only makes it harder for me and other students of color to get accepted into some of the top schools.”

On the other hand, some students saw the decision as a positive one.

A senior, Felix, claimed, “Affirmative Action may overlook equality in admissions based on merit which could possibly harm non-minority students. I think it’s unfair that race, something we cannot control, played such a huge factor into whether we were accepted or not rather than our grades.”

Another senior Aakash agreed, adding,”Although Affirmative Action seeks to help uplift minority students, it does not foster equality and promotes sectionalism in our educational system. I believe it was a detriment to our education system and was not properly executed or implemented.”

The removal of Affirmative Action is a major loss for marginalized communities in the United States. Poverty in the United States disproportionality affects black and hispanic groups in the country. Regions of poverty often include underfunded schools, and hardship among families who may struggle to provide and live. Affirmative Action ensured that minority students in the nation who showed great academic potential gained the opportunity to surround themselves in a positive educational environment with greater opportunities they would not have been granted had they not pursued higher education. Students who were limited by their underfunded school districts with limited resources could now gain the chance to demonstrate their academic skills at a higher level they are capable of. This contributes to the process of uplifting marginalized groups in the United States who have faced great oppression in the nation for centuries which limited their socio-economic status. Education is a powerful tool to combat the cycle of poverty which has entrapped and restricted marginalized groups of people.

Overall, it can be argued that the Supreme Court’s decision on Affirmative Action is only detrimental to social progress in the nation, and only further limits the opportunities for marginalized groups in American society. Some form of Affirmative Action is incredibly helpful to promote the socio-economic advancement of minority communities in the nation.