The Supreme Court had some harsh words for Abigail Fisher, the young woman who filed a lawsuit against the University of Texas at Austin. In a 4-3 vote, they ruled against her and upheld the school’s right to use race as a factor in their admission process.
Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote a four-Justice majority in Thursday’s decision, Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, says The Atlantic.
“A university is in large part defined by those intangible ‘qualities which are incapable of objective measurement but which make for greatness,’” Kennedy wrote in his decision. “Considerable deference is owed to a university in defining those intangible characteristics, like student body diversity, that are central to its identity and educational mission.”
His vote was echoed by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Samuel Alito wrote a sharp dissent, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas.
Fisher believed she deserved to get into the school despite having average test scores and grades. And while her lawyers claimed undeserving Black and Brown students took her spot that just wasn’t true.
According to Salon, in 2008, 47 such students were admitted, who had lower grades or test scores than Fisher. Forty-two of them were White and only five were people of color. Not to mention, in Texas, state colleges give the students who are in the top 10 percent automatic admission, which Fisher didn’t make the cut.
Guess it’s easier to blame Black and Brown folks than to take personal responsibility for your failures.
Of course, though, Twitter had a field day when the news hit:
#StayMadAbby girl!
SOURCE: The Atlantic, Twitter | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
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