White House calls out Supreme Court over declines in Black student college enrollment

September 5, 2024 2

The White House condemned the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on affirmative action following recent data that shows enrollment for Black students saw declines on several college campuses.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Washington University, Amherst College, and Tufts University were among a half-dozen campuses that reported a decrease in their Black student populations and an increase in the number of white students enrolled.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told theGrio that the Biden-Harris administration had warned that the recent enrollment numbers could be a reality following the Supreme Court’s conservative majority outlawing race-based admissions programs on the campuses of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 12: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds the daily press briefing at the White House on August 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“Their decision moved the nation backward… and upended decades of precedent that allowed America’s colleges and universities to build … diverse environments,” said the Biden spokesperson.

As previously reported by theGrio, according to data released last month, MIT saw an 8% drop in its Black student enrollment, declining to just 5% compared to an average of 13% in recent years. Similarly, Amherst saw its Black student population drop to 3% from 11% in the past year. NBC News reported that Washington University and Tufts saw a 4 and 2.6 percentage-point drop among Black first-year students, respectively.

The sharp declines are not positive signs following the controversial SCOTUS ruling that alarmed students of color, civil rights groups, and education advocates. The nation’s highest court ruled in favor of litigants who argued that Harvard and UNC’s affirmative action programs violated the equal protection clause under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Last summer, the Biden administration urged colleges and universities to find alternative ways to foster diversity on campuses. The Department of Education issued guidance and resources on ways institutions can ensure they still “reflect the beautiful diversity of our country.”

Affirmative Action, Supreme Court, theGrio.com — WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 31: Proponents for affirmative action in higher education rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court before oral arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina on October 31, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“We know that talent exists in all communities. It’s clear more work remains to be done and we’ll continue calling on schools to build pathways for upward … mobility and success,” said Jean-Pierre, who added, “This is something that is incredibly important.”

The White House press secretary said, “That aside,” the administration has taken other actions to promote education and opportunity for Black Americans, including its “historic investments” in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), totaling more than $16 billion.

Jean-Pierre also noted President Biden’s canceling of student loan debt, which, according to the Center for American Progress, has totaled more than $168.5 billion for nearly five million borrowers.

“We’ll continue to do everything that we can to ensure that Americans have access to educational opportunities,” the Biden spokesperson told theGrio. “That is our commitment, that is the president’s commitment, and you have seen that along the way.”