Affirmative action just died at the hands of the Supreme Court¡¯s conservative constitutional revolution.
In a 6-3 decision, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court overturned nearly 50 years of precedent and held that it¡¯s unconstitutional for universities to take account of racial diversity in their admissions.
The opinion eviscerated the diversity arguments that have become central to many universities¡¯ self-conception over the last few decades. Roberts wrote that the goals of diversity were too diffuse and nonspecific to be measured; that since admissions are zero-sum, giving help to students of some races necessarily hurts those of others; and that there was no end in sight to programs that the Supreme Court warned 20 years ago needed an eventual sunset.
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