November 13th. According to the US Chinese website, on the 12th local time, a US federal appeals court ruled that Harvard University did not violate the federal civil rights law, upheld a 2019 district court ruling, and prepared to do so. The case was submitted to the Supreme Court for review. Harvard University was previously sued for discriminating against Asian applicants in admissions, and the Boston District Court has ruled in its favor.
According to the report, the ruling was a blow to the non-profit organization “Students for Fair Admissions.” The organization filed a lawsuit against Harvard University in 2014. The focus of the dispute in this case is whether Harvard University discriminates against Asian Americans in the name of creating a diverse student population because the admissions process is not open and transparent.
The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit heard the case in September. Court of Appeal Judge Sandra Lynch wrote: “The question we face is whether Harvard University’s limited use of racial factors in the admissions process to achieve diversity during the relevant period meets the requirements of the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence. (I think ) There is no error.”
The Student Fair Admissions Organization said on the 12th that the case may eventually be decided by the Supreme Court.
The chairman of the organization, Edward Blum, said: “Although we are disappointed with the judgment of the First Circuit Court of Appeals, we have not lost hope. This lawsuit is currently being appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, and we will ask the justices. End Harvard and all colleges and universities’ unfair and unconstitutional race-based admissions policies.”
Harvard officials did not immediately comment.
The US Department of Justice publicly supported Asian students in this case and filed a lawsuit against Yale University last month, claiming that this prestigious university discriminated against white and Asian applicants in its strict admissions procedures.
Like Harvard, Yale also denies that its policies are discriminatory, saying that its admissions process follows federal laws and Supreme Court rulings, which generally support affirmative action. The Justice Department does not have the power to force Yale to change its policies, so it needs litigation to enforce its rulings.
Legal experts believe that the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Yale University is an extension of conservative legal efforts to end the race-based college admissions policy. These lawsuits are likely to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
