A Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision to Overturn Affirmative Action

We aspire for a community where all Fairfield County students are not only able to graduate with a high school degree but are also prepared for post-secondary education at a college or university if that is the path they choose.

To achieve this vision, it is critical to continue to increase access to post-secondary education for students who face barriers.

Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to disallow colleges and universities to take race into consideration as a basis in admissions is a step backwards for creating equitable access for many students in Fairfield County and nationwide who face intergenerational race-linked barriers and opportunity gaps.

While the full implications of today’s decision are still unknown, we do know that affirmative action policies in college admissions have been successful in making higher-education more accessible. Before affirmative action policies became rooted in college admissions in 1970, fewer than 1 in 10 students were non-White. Today, students of color make up about half of the student population at U.S. higher-education institutions.

We also believe that being part of a diverse student body benefits everyone — and it creates a richer educational experience for students of all backgrounds, which ultimately benefits our society.

Despite today’s ruling, we must continue our important work to promote educational equity — and to ensure that everyone who grows up in Fairfield County can thrive.