APISBMA Statement on Affirmative Action

The following is the statement from APISBMA in response to the Supreme Court decision to ban affirmative action for college admissions issued in June 2023.

APISBMA Statement Affirmative Action.pdf

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APISBMA Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action

Weare disappointed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to ban the use of affirmative action in college admissions, a valuable practice that has helped colleges and universities increase diversity and address historical wrongs. In a higher education context, affirmative action– which stemmed from the civil rights movement in the 1960s– is the practice of considering student background characteristics such as race and ethnicity as factors in deciding whether to admit an applicant. As Asian American and Pacific Islander school board members, we recognize how race-conscious decisions are both valuable and necessary in addressing not only AANHPI students’ different backgrounds, but all communities. The AANHPI community is not a monolith. Disaggregation of ethnic and racial data will show that within the AANHPI community there are myriad different backgrounds, from refugees to migrant workers to children of immigrants who have all faced various challenges because of their race. Affirmative action has historically empowered students of color to share their stories and have access to equitable opportunities as they seek a brighter future through higher education. Without it, AANHPI students and all communities of color stand to lose. As school board members and elected officials representing our community, we stand for policies that benefit all students, especially communities of color that have been historically underserved, and our society as a whole. APISBMAremains committed to equipping school board members with valuable knowledge to better serve their AANHPI students and staff and promoting cultural competence of not just the AAPI community but of all communities of color. For more information go to www.apisbma.org