Back in 2016 the US Supreme Court established that the University of Texas could continue to consider race as a factor in admissions, in order to ensure a diverse student body. At that time Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg declared, "I don’t expect that we’re going to see another affirmative action case, at least in education." But Justice Ginsburg hadn't anticipated the current Court and its appetite for re-examining established law. Later this year the Court will hear challenges to affirmative action at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Given the right-leaning makeup of this Court, the decision may well deliver a major blow to affirmative action at this country's institutions of higher learning. This week on Sea Change Radio, we discuss the state of affirmative action with Prof. Rod Graham, a sociologist at Old Dominion University. We look at the recent history of racial preference in educational policies, talk about why it would be a mistake to abandon affirmative action, and ponder the impact that such a decision could have on legacy preference in school admissions.

Narrator 0:01  This is Sea Change Radio covering the shift to sustainability, I'm Alex Wise.

Rod Graham  0:19  So symbolically saying you know, we want you from the black community here because you bring something unique as a black person has power.

Narrator  0:30  Back in 2016 the US Supreme Court established that the University of Texas could continue to consider race as a factor in admissions, in order to ensure a diverse student body. At that time Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg declared, "I don’t expect that we’re going to see another affirmative action case, at least in education." But Justice Ginsburg hadn't anticipated the current Court and its appetite for re-examining established law. Later this year the Court will hear challenges to affirmative action at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Given the right-leaning makeup of this Court, the decision may well deliver a major blow to affirmative action at this country's institutions of higher learning. This week on Sea Change Radio, we discuss the state of affirmative action with Prof. Rod Graham, a sociologist at Old Dominion University. We look at the recent history of racial preference in educational policies, talk about why it would be a mistake to abandon affirmative action, and ponder the impact that such a decision could have on legacy preference in school admissions.

Alex Wise I'm joined now on Sea Change Radio by Rod Graham. Rod is a Professor of Sociology at Old Dominion University, writes for the Editorial Board, has his own Substack and his work can be found at RoderickGraham.com. Rod, welcome back to Sea Change Radio.

Rod Graham 2:12  Thanks for having me.

Alex Wise 2:14  Well, I wanted to have you on because we recently learned that the Supreme Court was going to reopen affirmative action, if you will, on the docket - it's a pretty ominous concept for those who believe that affirmative action is a good thing for our educational system. Knowing the makeup of the court, this could be the end of affirmative action in higher learning as we know it. What was your first reaction when you heard that the case was coming before the Supreme Court?

Rod Graham 2:48  I guess it was the same as yours, this this sense that, okay, it's, it'll probably be struck down because of the composition of the court. That's unfortunate, because I'm a supporter of affirmative action for a lot of not just race, this is the thing that that's going to be up at the Supreme Court discrimination against Asian A...