Affirmative action ruling prompts new push to end legacy admissions

Geoff Bennett:

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action in college admissions has renewed the debate over another admissions practice, legacy admissions, in which universities give preference to children of graduates when deciding whom to accept.

Lawyers for Civil Rights, a Boston-based nonprofit, filed a complaint after the court ruling alleging that Harvard's legacy and donor-based admission system violates federal law by favoring white students. And the NAACP is calling on 1,600 public and private universities across the country to end legacy admissions altogether.

Joining us now is the president and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson.

Thank you for being with us.

Derrick Johnson, NAACP President:

Thank you for having me.

Geoff Bennett:

So, as we said civil rights groups, to include the NAACP, are putting their focus on legacy admissions after the Supreme Court banned the use of race-conscious admissions practices.

What are your chief concerns?

Derrick Johnson:

Well, I want to make sure that students have fair access to higher education and to opportunities.

If the program to repair the harm that was done by institutions and this government for centuries called affirmative action has now come under attack and being abolished, we need to do all — away with all preferential programs, such as legacy programs.

It was reported that Harvard, for example, 43 percent of white students were there on some type of legacy admittance. That's not fair to the rest of the population. We want to make sure there is a level of equity in this process.

Geoff Bennett:

On that point, college presidents have said that the practice helps build special connections with families and donors, some that extend for generations, it's an important tool for fund-raising, and that, as enrollment has become more diverse, there are Black families that benefit from legacy admissions.

How do you see it?

Derrick Johnson:

Well, we thought that the program to address the systemic issues of racism called affirmative action was a good step in the right way.

We thought it allowed for a more diverse student body, that allow individuals who otherwise would not have an opportunity to sit in a prestigious institutions because they were qualified and not being barred from attending as a result of their family genealogy.

So here we are at this impasse, where we're going to say that all students are admitted based on qualification. Let that be the case. And let's not let any program be the — give one community a leg up over another community.

Geoff Bennett:

The NAACP, as you well know, is calling on colleges and universities to adopt this diversity no matter what pledge.

Other than ending legacy admissions, what else do you want colleges and universities to do?

Derrick Johnson:

Well, there should be adversity standards, how one — an individual based on their zip code should not be a condemnation of their future.

Far too many kids, Black, white, and others, will grow up in communities where the resources are lacking, the tax base is not strong, the system of education is less than desirable. And, as a result, those students are overcoming those adversities and finding themselves in the midst of being able to compete at the highest level.

There should be a standard to admit those individuals. We should also make sure that, if we don't want preferential treatments, that preferential treatment isn't provided to anybody, or we at least need to account for intentional acts of discrimination in a way in which we can repair past harms.

Geoff Bennett:

After the court ruling, President Biden said that he asked the Education Department to study what practices help build a more inclusive student body and what practices stand in the way of that.

Do you expect the White House to get involved in a significant way here?

Derrick Johnson:

Well, I would hope they will get involved.

But let's be clear. We have a Supreme Court that is now a rogue Supreme Court, perhaps one of the most Supreme — corrupts Supreme Court we have had in the history of the court. We have had a tendency of conservatives seeking ways to undermine the gains that were made over the last 60 years.

And there's a clear effort to ensure a permanent underclass and to maintain the system of white supremacy. That's what we should be talking about. That is what needs to be addressed. And that's in the best interest of this nation.

Geoff Bennett:

What role does the NAACP have in helping Black youth get ready, especially with more of an emphasis placed on college admissions essays?

The NAACP has a rich history of being active in communities around matters of civil rights. On this issue, in particular, beyond raising awareness, how can the group get proactively involved?

Derrick Johnson:

Well, we are proactively involved under our mission.

We're an advocacy group. We're not a service provider. Our job is to impact the formation of public and corporate policy. And so we do so by advocating for legislation. We do so by filing lawsuits, and we do so by educating the community on their rights and responsibilities as full citizens.

So we're doing our part. We invite others to join us to do that. If people are hungry, it's important to have a soup kitchen. But, more important, we need to address the policies that create the hunger. We're seeking to address the policies that have barred African-Americans and other students from being able to have a fair opportunity.

Geoff Bennett:

Derrick Johnson is the president and CEO of the NAACP.

Thank you for your time and for your insights.

Thank you for the opportunity.