Last summer, in the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina, the Supreme Court made a landmark decision that race-based admissions policy violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. However, questions have remained over what policies are acceptable to promote diversity in schools. The Supreme Court recently declined to consider a case involving a prestigious Virginia high school’s admission policy. This policy established that “race-neutral” factors like the socioeconomic status and neighborhood zip code of an applicant would be considered, which would help lead to greater racial diversity. The plaintiffs of the case were families who argued that the policy amounted to racial discrimination against them, leading again to debates over whether policies to increase racial diversity are acceptable.  

Those who argue that private k-12 schools and schools of higher education should implement policies to increase racial diversity argue that doing so will help make our communities and country better.  They contend that increased diversity will allow students to interact with different viewpoints and bring about greater equality. Additionally, they argue that having policies that indirectly create greater diversity is not unconstitutional. 

Those who argue that schools should not implement policies designed to increase racial diversity argue that doing so is unfair as it inevitably puts children of certain demographics at a disadvantage. They contend that even if the policy is “race-neutral” on the surface, it still violates the Equal Protection Clause because it is designed to help students of certain races. They claim this hurts all students, because it unfairly puts some at a disadvantage, and it disempowers those who are favored by not allowing them to be admitted on merit alone. 

So, what do you think? Should Private K-12 Schools and Schools of Higher Education Implement Policies Designed to Increase Racial Diversity? Students can answer Yes, they should; No, they should not; or a nuanced answer in-between! Be sure to submit your answers by March 14th to be considered for this week’s contest!  

 

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Note: Ideal Think the Vote responses include the following:      

• Address the question asked in a thoughtful and meaningful manner     
• Use cited facts and constitutional arguments when appropriate to support their answers      
• Are expressed in cohesive sentences and are free of distracting spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors      
• They address counterarguments and opposing concerns in a respectful manner      
• They organize their answer in a manner that flows logically and reads clearly   

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JOIN THE DEBATE BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $1,000 CASH SCHOLARSHIP! 

For this question, BRI will be giving away two $25 gift cards, one to each person providing the best defense of each side of the debate. Both students will also win BRI swag. Each student winner will also be entered for a chance to win a grand prize of a $1,000 cash scholarship. Additionally, the referring teachers for both students will each win a $25 gift card and BRI swag. 

This question will run from 2/15/24 to 2/29/24, so be sure to submit your answers in time to be considered for our prizes! 

(For rules/regulations click HERE)