June 29, 2023
Washington, D.C. — Andrew Twinamatsiko and Zachary Baron from the Health Policy and the Law Initiative at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law issue the following statement regarding today’s ruling by the Supreme Court on affirmative action:
“Today’s Supreme Court decision that higher education institutions may not consider race even for the modest purposes of academic diversity is a devastating blow to equity-focused policies. The decision’s consequences will undoubtedly reverberate beyond education, as some courts and ideologically motivated groups will rely upon the decision to pursue legal actions that further severely hamper targeted efforts to address the persistent disparities in our health system.
Racial and ethnic minorities experience shorter lifespans and poorer health outcomes than their white counterparts because of how systemic racism shapes the determinants of health and skews opportunities and life chances. The colorblind conception of equality that undergirds today’s decision is divorced from reality and will perpetuate the unjust status quo. Without meaningful reform, health disparities will continue to persist unabated.”
To schedule an interview with Andrew Twinamatsiko and Zachary Baron, please contact Cynthia Sun at Cynthia.Sun@georgetown.edu.