Justice Thomas highlighted that the 14th Amendment was designed to ensure equal rights for all citizens, supporting the Court's recent decision.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that race-based college admissions policies violate the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause, effectively ending affirmative action in higher education.

While the Court permits some consideration of applicants' personal stories related to race, it limits the use of race as a sole or decisive factor in admissions decisions.

Chief Justice Roberts emphasized the need for race-neutral policies and criticized the use of racial categories on application forms as arbitrary and potentially divisive.

This decision reflects ongoing societal debates about fairness, historical discrimination, and how best to promote diversity and equal opportunity in education.

Experts suggest colleges may now focus more on legacy admissions, personal essays, and athletic skills, which could perpetuate existing inequalities.

Historically, the Court's stance on race in admissions has shifted from allowing race as one factor to promote diversity (as in 2003) to ruling that diversity alone is no longer a compelling interest to justify race-based preferences in 2023.

Justice Clarence Thomas criticized affirmative action for devaluing individual achievements and promoting stereotypes, advocating for a colorblind approach aligned with the Constitution's original intent.

The case centered on Harvard and the University of North Carolina, where courts found that using race as a factor in admissions is unconstitutional under current legal standards.