Statement by Rev Al Sharpton on the Supreme Court Decision in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action

–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–

April 22, 2014 (New York, NY)–

“The Supreme Court decision upholding the state of Michigan’s ban of using race as a factor in affirmative action is a devastating blow to the civil rights community. The ramifications of this will be far reaching and could tie us up in endless battles. We must mobilize immediately for state referendums to counter this decision to protect the ongoing battle to redress the historic needed repairs to racial discrimination.”

-Rev. Al Sharpton, President of NAN

National Action Network is disappointed in the outcome in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. The decision to uphold a Michigan voter initiative prohibiting the use of race in admissions to the State’s public universities further heightens barriers of inequality for Minority enrollment at Colleges and Universities.

States that have banned Affirmative Action in College and University Admissions have tended to enroll fewer Black and Hispanic freshmen. With this decision, the number of underrepresented Minority students admitted to Universities would fall significantly.

The concept of Equal Opportunity Policies ensure that no person is disadvantaged or treated unfairly when applying for College, Employment, or other application processes because of their race, ethnicity or gender.

National Action Network will work to mobilize our members to the polls to vote in local and State elections to combat discriminatory laws that further stifle the advancement of People in our communities.