For many years, we’ve stood atop our soapbox in college admissions and made it known that our nation’s highly selective universities unjustly discriminate against Asian American applicants. It has been our long and deeply held belief that admissions officers at these universities, with their implicit biases, hold Asian American applicants to a different, more stringent standard. So a casual observer might think that we would support the Students for Fair Admissions group in their — thus far unsuccessful — lawsuit against Harvard University in which they accuse the school of anti-Asian American bias in its admissions practices. But we do not support Students for Fair Admissions, a group led by conservative activist Edward Blum. Rather, we support Harvard. So how can we justify our position, you ask?

SFFA Group is Using Asian Americans as Pawns to Advance Agenda

Because the group that lost its case — and its appeal — against Harvard doesn’t actually care about Asian American applicants. No, this group cares about ending the practice of Affirmative Action — a practice that is vitally important to addressing the systemic racism in this country that unfairly disadvantages African American, Latinx, Native American, and other underrepresented minority groups. And when the conservative group realized they weren’t going to be able to abolish the consideration of race in admissions by making the case that white applicants face too high a bar on account of their race, they chose Asian Americans as their pawns to advance their overarching agenda.

Affirmative Action is Not to Blame for Asian American Discrimination in Admissions

But let’s be clear: the practice of Affirmative Action is not to blame for Asian American discrimination in admissions any more so than is legacy admission or the admission of recruited squash and golf players. Why should a practice that helps make a small dent in addressing our nation’s historical — and current — injustices be eliminated to address Asian American bias in admissions when golf recruits from Philips Academy – Andover maintain a significant advantage in admissions? Seriously?

A Student-Journalists Urges Fellow Asian Americans to Defend Affirmative Action

In a piece in The GW Hatchet, student-journalist Hannah Thacker writes in a piece entitled “Asian Americans must defend affirmative action in college admissions,” “While I do believe there is discrimination in admissions processes, like when it was revealed that admissions officers were rating Asian American applicants on traits like personality and likability, universities can’t stem the issue by eliminating affirmative action. The policy has actually helped disadvantaged communities access college, even though it’s viewed in a negative light. Asian Americans should stand with the policy and ‘race-conscious’ admissions practices to ensure more people get a fair shot at higher education.”

Well said, Ms. Thacker. Well said indeed.