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It’s plain and simple. The government should not choose who can attend a public school or federally funded educational institution based on a student’s race or ethnicity. This constitutional tenet doesn’t seem to matter at Harvard University, the University of North Carolina, or Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ), where race or ethnicity determines eligibility.
Under the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equality before the law, individuals should be treated as individuals, and not as representatives of their racial groups. TJ long held this guarantee sacred, admitting students using merit-based, race-blind criteria such as standardized tests and grade-point averages.
Under the guise of equity, however, TJ’s school board and superintendent eliminated the test—and it shows. This year’s freshman class has 42% fewer Asian-American students, while no other racial group lost seats.
Harvard University and the University of North Carolina also operate under a race-conscious admissions process, claiming necessity in meeting diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
Courageous parents and students are fighting back to end these schools’ racial preferences in admissions and to restore equal treatment for all students—and education leaders throughout the country who want to upend equality in their own schools are keeping close watch.
On the heels of our huge win in Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board, and ahead of Supreme Court argument in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, we invite you to join PLF and our clients on March 17 for an exclusive virtual deep-dive into these high-profile lawsuits driving the national debate over equity vs. equality in education.
