The Virginia Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus (VAAPIC) expressed profound disappointment in the United States Supreme Court’s decision to reverse decades of precedent and end affirmative action in college admissions.

“Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision is a devastating loss for historically marginalized students. Now, the barriers especially for AAPI students who are recent immigrants, refugees, or who come from lower income families have just gotten more difficult,” said VAAPIC Chair Kathy Tran (HD-42, Fairfax). “While some may claim this will help AAPI students, those students have benefited from the principles of affirmative action. And denying the reality that one’s race continues to be a determining factor in one’s education, economic, and health outcomes will hurt AAPI Virginians, and Black, Brown and Indigenous people across the Commonwealth and will stymie progress towards racial equity.” 

“Conservative activists and extremist Republicans have long driven the narrative that an equitable admissions process runs contrary to the aspirations and values of education; sadly, the United States Supreme Court has taken destructive legal action based on that false and harmful narrative,” said Caucus Vice Chair Senator Ghazala Hashmi (SD-10, Chesterfield/Richmond/Powhatan). “As anyone who works in education spaces understands, assessments of an individual’s potential, skills, and abilities is a complex process. Although not perfect, affirmative action has worked to help dismantle ingrained and racist systems, to establish pathways and ladders of opportunity for marginalized communities, and to increase social and economic mobility for the disadvantaged. Once again, this particular Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Roberts, has reversed precedent, has shown itself to act with political rather than legal intent, and has betrayed the fundamental ideals of pluralistic society that embraces diversity by providing equitable opportunity for all.”

As Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in her dissent, “deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.” We continue to see the harmful effects of racism in education, health care, work places, housing, climate change and other aspects of our lives. VAAPIC remains dedicated to addressing inequality and inequity across the Commonwealth.