Recent Supreme Court Decisions Set the Nation Back to Path of Inequality
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 13, 2023
Contact: Izzy Woodruff | iwoodruff@nationalfairhousing.org
Recent Supreme Court Decisions Set the Nation Back to Path of Inequality
Washington, D.C. — The Supreme Court’s recent decisions against affirmative action, LGBTQ+ rights, and student loan forgiveness were some of the most troubling and harmful rulings that the Court has issued in decades, said National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) President and CEO Lisa Rice. Read her full statement below.
“With this regressive set of rulings against affirmative action, LGBTQ+ rights, and student loan forgiveness, this Supreme Court issues decisions that will entrench bias, discrimination, and disturbing disparities and lead our society toward inequity and injustice.
“In its 6-3 ruling against affirmative action plans at Harvard and University of North Carolina, the Court ignored nearly 50 years of precedent and the lower court’s factual analysis. It also ignored stark truths about systems of bias, created by centuries of race-based laws and policies, that still harm millions of people every day. For example, high levels of school segregation still exist in this nation with predominantly Black and Latino school districts receiving, annually, about $23 billion less than predominantly White school districts even though they educate roughly the same number of students. School segregation is deeply driven by residential segregation. Our neighborhoods are more segregated today than they were 100 years ago, and communities of color have far fewer resources and amenities than do predominantly White communities. Those amenities include clean land, air, and water; healthcare facilities; internet services; full-service grocery stores; banks and credit unions; and the like.
“It is important to note that the Court’s ruling is limited, only applying to those universities, and is not an outright ban on affirmative action in college admissions. In another disappointing and alarming turn of events, the Court’s decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis essentially gives some businesses cart blanche to discriminate against LGBTQ+ individuals under the guise of protecting free speech, and the case presents ethical standing questions. Finally, the Court’s decision to block President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan will prevent millions of Americans from gaining the financial freedom from the burden of student loan debt that they need to buy a home, start a business, or just thrive. The decision presents a particular hardship for women and students of color — especially Black students — and will hamper equitable growth in the economy.
“This trilogy of disturbing rulings from the Court’s 6-3 ultra-conservative majority provides further motivation to redouble our advocacy efforts to ensure that the promises of the nation’s principles of justice and liberty reach everyone. Now is not the time to retreat; rather, we must boldly advance equitable opportunities so that we may all thrive, our nation can be productive, and our economy can flourish.”
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The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.