ERS Statement on Affirmative Action Ruling By Supreme Court

Last week, the Supreme Court effectively ended affirmative action for college admissions. This decision overturns decades of precedent that began with Brown vs. Board of Education and deals a devastating blow to decades of efforts to increase equity in our educational systems.

Our work in districts around the country tells us that education systems that don’t meet the needs of all students disproportionately impact Black and Latino students. Acknowledging this reality means working to ensure those students have equitable access to an excellent education as well as the surrounding supports that address the challenges of concentrated poverty, segregation, and other inequities.

The Supreme Court decision comes on the heels of efforts across the country to dictate what our children may and may not learn, what voices they may and may not hear, and who is and is not welcome based on their gender, sexuality, and the color of their skin.

But we cannot let this moment discourage us in the important work ahead.

At ERS, we have worked for nearly 20 years to increase equity, excellence, and opportunity in public K12 school systems. This decision makes our work more critical than ever; and we rededicate ourselves to empower school system leaders to make transformative shifts in resources, structures, and practices so that all students—especially those furthest from opportunity and those who have been disadvantaged by historical inequities—attend a school where they can learn and thrive.