Newsom criticizes affirmative action ruling despite California’s ban.

Gov. Gavin Newsom Denounces Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) strongly criticized the recent Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. In a 6-3 majority decision, the Court declared affirmative action policies in college admissions to be unconstitutional.

Despite the fact that affirmative action is already illegal in California for state institutions, Newsom expressed his disapproval of the ruling in a statement on Thursday.

Newsom Stands Firm on California’s Commitment to Equal Opportunity

“The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has yet again upended longstanding precedent, changing the law just because they now have the votes to do so, without any care for the costs to society and students around the country. Right-wing activists — including those donning robes — are trying to take us back to the era of book bans and segregated campuses. As Justices Sotomayor and Jackson put it powerfully, no one benefits from ignorance: diverse schools are an essential component of the fabric of our democratic society,” Newsom said in a statement.

“While the path to equal opportunity has now been narrowed for millions of students, no court case will ever shatter the California Dream. Our campus doors remain open for all who want to work hard — and our commitment to diversity, equity, and equal opportunity has never been stronger,” he added.

In 1996, California voters passed Proposition 209 with a 54%-45% majority. This proposition stated that the state shall not discriminate or grant preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, or public contracting.

In 2020, voters reaffirmed the ban on affirmative action by rejecting Proposition 16 with a 57%-42% vote. Proposition 16 aimed to repeal Proposition 209 and allow affirmative action in California. Newsom had endorsed this proposition prior to Election Day.

It is important to note that the ban on affirmative action through Proposition 209 only applied to state-run universities and did not include private universities in California. However, the recent Supreme Court decision now extends this ban to private colleges and universities, prohibiting them from considering race in their admissions process.

Repealing Proposition 209: A Recommendation from California’s Reparations Task Force

One of the recommendations put forth by California’s reparations task force is the repeal of Proposition 209. However, repealing this proposition would require a new proposition similar to the unsuccessful effort in 2020.

For more information on this topic, click here to visit The Washington Examiner.

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