Jennifer Gratz, a 1995 graduate of Southgate Anderson High School, and Patrick Hamacher of Flint sued University of Michigan, then-President Lee Bollinger and former President James Duderstadt in 1997. They claimed they were passed over for admission at U of M in favor of minority students.
Michigan voters passed the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative in 2006 by a margin of 58 to 42 percent, banning college admissions policies based on race.
The text of the constitutional amendment says public colleges and school districts "shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting."
Gratz was pleased with the high court’s ruling.
“It’s a great decision,” Gratz told sister newspaper The Macomb Daily hours after the 6-2 decision was announced.
“It’s a personal victory but more importantly it is a victory for the voters of Michigan and the issue of equality.”
Shanta Driver, a Detroit civil rights and immigration attorney who is national chairperson of By Any Means Necessary, was not in favor of the decision.
“I think it’s a terrible decision,” she told The Macomb Daily. “The court has ratified the era of Jim Crow laws. I think the Supreme Court is saying to Latino, black and Native America citizens that it will not stand for its citizens to have equal opportunity for access to the best universities, at a time when America is becoming a majority-minority country. It gives the state the license for the white majority to pass any law that further limited and discriminates against the political rights of blacks, Native Americans and Latinos in the community.”
“It’s about time the courts got in line with the views of the people, that you should judge people by their merits and not the color of their skin,” Gratz said. Continued...
Jennifer Gratz, a 1995 graduate of Southgate Anderson High School, and Patrick Hamacher of Flint sued University of Michigan, then-President Lee Bollinger and former President James Duderstadt in 1997. They claimed they were passed over for admission at U of M in favor of minority students.
Michigan voters passed the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative in 2006 by a margin of 58 to 42 percent, banning college admissions policies based on race.
The text of the constitutional amendment says public colleges and school districts "shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting."
Gratz was pleased with the high court’s ruling.
“It’s a great decision,” Gratz told sister newspaper The Macomb Daily hours after the 6-2 decision was announced.
“It’s a personal victory but more importantly it is a victory for the voters of Michigan and the issue of equality.”
Shanta Driver, a Detroit civil rights and immigration attorney who is national chairperson of By Any Means Necessary, was not in favor of the decision.
“I think it’s a terrible decision,” she told The Macomb Daily. “The court has ratified the era of Jim Crow laws. I think the Supreme Court is saying to Latino, black and Native America citizens that it will not stand for its citizens to have equal opportunity for access to the best universities, at a time when America is becoming a majority-minority country. It gives the state the license for the white majority to pass any law that further limited and discriminates against the political rights of blacks, Native Americans and Latinos in the community.”
“It’s about time the courts got in line with the views of the people, that you should judge people by their merits and not the color of their skin,” Gratz said.
Charles Crumm contributed to this report.
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