Letters to the Editor | July 4, 2023

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action is causing much debate around the country. For me, it is both good news and bad news. For our granddaughter, who is Asian American, it is great news. She has always dreamed of going to Harvard. She has visited there several times, winning debating contests. She often wears Harvard sweatshirts. She is accomplished but had little chance of getting into Harvard simply because she is Asian American. I am so happy for her. On the other hand, I believe that diversity is critical in a multicultural democracy. I believe part of the solution resides in how we fund our schools.

My grandkids go to schools in Howard County, Md., and Greenwich, Conn., in two of the higher-performing school districts in the country. They are lucky to be able to attend those schools. Now think about the kid who goes to a school in North Philly that is old, may have asbestos, no air-conditioning, little funds, and crowded classrooms, and perhaps that child goes to school hungry. How could he or she ever compete with my grandkids? It’s not fair, and it is an example of systemic racism. We need to figure out a way that all kids have the same opportunities.

Barry Vernick, Philadelphia

. . .

Jonathan Zimmerman’s column, much like all conversation regarding the end of affirmative action in education, focused on the insulated bubble of Ivy League schools. It’s uncertain why most of the media seem to ignore the fact that these elite universities are but a fraction of our higher education system. Zimmerman goes on to suggest using income-based admission policies could fill the void left by the Supreme Court’s ruling and maintain diversity, but economic struggles affect all races. Is it realistic that these universities would forgo their hefty tuition? Very unlikely, so that would create additional generations mired in college debt.

How about the pre-1978 system, where applicants were judged on their ability, character, and likelihood of completing studies and obtaining a degree? These qualities are ignored in the author’s assertions. It also seems the hand-wringing over “legacy” admissions is a bit of a red herring, given the total enrollment these represent is a drop in the collective bucket. If colleges could put their avarice on the back burner and admit on merit and character — qualities that come in all colors — the playing field may have a chance at self-leveling.

J. Savage, Philadelphia

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I am a University of Pennsylvania student who went to Lower Merion, one of the best public schools in the Philadelphia area. While there were other Black students in my grade, I was consistently the only one in my AP and honors classes. At my school, many counselors were known for automatically streamlining Black and Latinx students into lower-level classes. I am blessed to have parents who ensured that I was in the best classes and extracurriculars. But for those unlike me, it was easy to slip through the cracks.

I was so struck by how lonely my experience was that I conducted my senior project on the experience of being a high-achieving student of color within the Main Line’s top high schools. A common theme that came up was students feeling the pressure to “prove” that Black students belonged in the classes and extracurriculars they took part in. Successes were either overemphasized or underacknowledged. While by no means majority-Black, compared with my high school, Penn felt like a haven. In my freshman year, I was tapped for a doctoral pipeline program for Black and other underrepresented students, sang with my Black a cappella group, went to Divine Nine parties, and took Africana studies classes filled with others who looked like me.

With the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning affirmative action, I feel the threat of all of that looking very different in the years to come. I urge educators to not let this be an excuse that further allows Black students to slip through the cracks. Get Black students on the path to upper-level classes in high school early. Give us the chance to be more than the exception.

Charissa Howard, Philadelphia

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