NAACP, the nation’s foremost civil rights organization, released the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration is attempting to rescind Obama Administration guidelines on race in college admissions:
“By encouraging schools to not consider race during the admissions process or potentially in any other circumstance, President Trump is undermining the benefits of diversity in schools and accelerating the socio-economic divide. Rolling back access to quality education for all students is a top priority for this Administration.
The guidelines President Obama put forth in 2011 and 2016 have been upheld by the Supreme Court, and they continue to be an accurate interpretation of how to ensure all students are learning in diverse environments and receiving the quality education they deserve.
It is proven that racial diversity benefits all in academic achievement. Our world is made up of people of many colors, therefore, students should learn and grow in an environment that depicts this reality,” said Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP), NAACP President and CEO.
Here’s background info on Trump’s move via Mic:
The Trump administration will encourage college presidents to end affirmative action at their schools and instead opt for race-blind admission policies, the New York Times reported on Tuesday — reversing an Obama-era policy created to foster diversity on campuses.
The Supreme Court has limited how colleges and universities can factor race into their admissions processes. However it did not ban affirmative action.
Yet Attorney General Jeff Sessions believes the practice to be unconstitutional, and thus the Trump administration is rescinding seven guidelines regarding affirmative action from the Department of Education’s civil rights division, according to the New York Times report
“The executive branch cannot circumvent Congress or the courts by creating guidance that goes beyond the law and — in some instances — stays on the books for decades,” Devin M. O’Malley, a spokesman for the Justice Department, told the New York Times.
Read/learn MORE at Mic.
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