What's at Stake in the Supreme Court Affirmative Action Cases
Ask Students: Who has brought the case described in the story to the Supreme Court, and why? Which questions are the Supreme Court considering about affirmative action?
Summary
This week, the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in two cases seeking to overturn decades-old precedents that have allowed colleges to factor race into admissions decisions in order to create diverse student bodies. Opponents of the practice say that any decision based on race is wrong. Angel Perez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, joins John Yang to discuss. For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- Who has brought the case described in the story to the Supreme Court, and why?
- Which questions are the Supreme Court considering about affirmative action?
- When will these cases be decided?
- Why are these cases being brought now?
- How has the Supreme Court ruled on race-based affirmative actions in colleges and universities in the past?
Focus Questions
How do you think college admissions would change if the Supreme Court court struck down precedent on affirmative action rulings?
Media Literacy: Who else would you want to hear from to better understand these cases and why they are being brought now to the Supreme Court?
Be the Judge
Listen to the arguments made before the Supreme Court. Based on the portion of recording that you listened to, what arguments did the justices seem most sympathetic toward?
The Supreme Court: Balancing the Branches Lesson Plans
Share My Lesson has free, tailored preK-12 resources to ensure your students leave your classroom equipped with a deeper knowledge of civics and government to think critically about today's toughest issues.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories.
