Last week, the Department of Justice announced a new initiative to investigate discrimination against white students in university admissions. This is a disturbing step backward. Critical priorities like protecting voting rights, civil rights and human rights continue to struggle for limited resources and attention. Yet, with this announcement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is choosing to use our taxpayer dollars to instead challenge affirmative action in college admissions, which has repeatedly been found constitutional by federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Despite our country’s rapidly changing demographics, we have not made enough progress in ensuring a clear path to opportunity for historically disadvantaged minorities. Today, minorities make up a greater portion of our population than ever before, yet many universities continue to significantly lag in minority admissions. In fact, according to the Washington Post, 42 percent of white students ages 18–24 are enrolled in college, compared to 35 percent among African-Americans. Without programs to help qualified minority students overcome longstanding institutional biases, these enrollment numbers could be even smaller.
Too often, the debate over affirmative action is oversimplified as a laudable goal to promote diversity. But it is critical to recognize and understand the factual and historical basis that necessitated the tool of affirmative action to remedy decades of state-sponsored segregation and unwillingness to equally enforce the laws.
Many of us are familiar with pioneers like Ruby Bridges and James Meredith, who publicly stood up for their rights to receive an education. But, we must also remember less obvious systemic changes that resonate today. Communities witnessed the proliferation of countless “academies” that were opened for white students who were afraid to attend newly integrated public schools with children who did not look like them. Some states actually paid out-of-state tuition to avoid integrating Black university students.
Without understanding the history and the continuing importance of affirmative action as a tool, it is possible to misunderstand and perceive this as something “optional” instead of something still necessary. Statistics abound which demonstrate the persistent racial and socio-economic disparities faced by minority students. The painful and pernicious legacy of slavery and legal segregation is still being felt by students in underperforming schools or with parents who, because of past discrimination, are unable to guide them into college. We have made progress, but minority students are still struggling for high-quality educational opportunities.
The Department of Justice is essentially arguing that promoting parity for minority students, who are overcoming lingering bias resulting from generations of discrimination, is unacceptable if it risks inconveniencing white students. In my role as the founder of the House Higher Education Caucus, I’m committed to all students achieving the full extent of their potential. This means embracing that, as a nation, our diversity is our strength. We are at our best when we are opening doors, not when we are building walls. When people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed, America succeeds.
Rep. Carson represents the 7th District of Indiana. He is First Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and one of two Muslims in Congress. Rep. Carson sits on the House Intelligence Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Contact Rep. Carson at carson.house.gov/contact.
