Global Courant
An activist group filed a complaint Monday against Harvard’s old admissions, arguing that the practice discriminates against black applicants.
The group, Lawyers for Civil Rights, alleges that the practice of inheritance grants unfairly favors white applicants. The move comes days after the Supreme Court ruled that Harvard’s race-based affirmative action practices were unconstitutional.
“Why do we reward children for privileges and benefits built up by previous generations?” LCR director Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal said. “Your family’s last name and the size of your bank account are not a measure of merit and should not affect the college admissions process.”
Harvard declined to comment on the development in a Monday statement.
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An activist group filed a lawsuit Monday against Harvard’s old admissions, arguing that the practice discriminates against black applicants. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
“Last week, the university reaffirmed its commitment to the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning and research depend on a community made up of people of many backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences,” the university said in a drafted statement. “As we said, in the coming weeks and months, the University will determine how we can preserve our essential values, consistent with the Court’s new precedent.”
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LCR filed the civil rights complaint through the Department of Education.
This has been confirmed by the college that it would comply with the Supreme Court ruling that ended affirmative action, though it stressed that its “essential values” remain unchanged.
The US Supreme Court has struck down race-based college admissions practices in the US (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Harvard leadership stated that “diversity and difference are essential to academic excellence”, and pledged to “preserve” the university’s essential values. The statement also highlighted a possible route by which Harvard could somehow account for race in admissions.
“The court found that Harvard College’s admissions system does not comply with the principles of the Equal Protection Clause contained in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act,” the statement said. “The Court also ruled that colleges and universities may take into account ‘an applicant’s discussion of how race has affected his or her life, whether through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise,’ in admissions decisions. We will certainly comply with the decision of the Council.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering national politics and major news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
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