As we await the Supreme Court’s ruling on Affirmative Action, Pew has published a Survey showing widespread opposition to racial preferences in college and university admissions:
The survey – conducted from March 27 to April 2, 2023, among 5,079 members of the Center’s American Trends Panel – finds that Americans are more than twice as likely to say that the consideration of race and ethnicity in admissions decisions makes the overall admissions process less fair (49%) rather than more fair (20%); 17% say this does not affect the process.
The Pew article has this summary as to the details behind its findings:
Ahead of a closely watched Supreme Court decision that may significantly affect the admissions practices of some of the nation’s top colleges, half of U.S. adults say they disapprove of selective colleges and universities taking prospective students’ racial and ethnic backgrounds into account when making admissions decisions. Fewer (33%) approve of colleges considering race and ethnicity to increase diversity at the schools, while 16% are not sure……. Americans are nearly three times as likely to say they strongly disapprove of colleges doing this (29%) as they are to say they strongly approve (11%)….About three-quarters of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (74%) say they disapprove of these practices, including 48% who strongly disapprove. Just 14% of Republicans approve of colleges considering students’ racial and ethnic backgrounds when making admissions decisions.By contrast, a narrow majority of Democrats and Democratic leaners (54%) approve of colleges doing this, with 19% approving strongly. Around three-in-ten Democrats (29%) disapprove of the consideration of race and ethnicity in college admissions.
Nothing shocking that vastly more Americans disapprove of Affirmative Action, and that such disapproval is greatest among Republicans. But the finding as to how support varies among racial groups may surprise you:
Nearly half of Black Americans (47%) say they approve of colleges and universities considering prospective students’ racial and ethnic backgrounds when making admissions decisions, compared with 29% who disapprove (24% are not sure).Among Hispanic Americans, identical shares approve and disapprove of these practices (39% each). Both White and Asian Americans are more likely to disapprove of colleges doing this (57% of White adults and 52% of Asian adults) than to approve (29% and 37%, respectively).
First thing to note is that there is less than majority support among Black Americans for Affirmative Action, and substantial opposition. By contrast, support is stronger among whites.
Digging deeper, the biggest advocay group for Affirmative Action are white Democrats:
Roughly six-in-ten White Democrats (59%) approve of race and ethnicity being considered in college admissions decisions, while about a quarter (26%) oppose this. An identical share of Black Democrats express opposition to these practices, while half express support. Black Democrats are more likely than White Democrats to say they’re unsure (23% vs. 15%).About half of Hispanic Democrats (48%) say they approve of race and ethnicity being considered in college admissions decisions. Views among Asian Democrats are fairly divided: 48% say they approve of these practices, and 42% say they disapprove.
Jonathan Turley boiled down these Pew Findings:
That means that more white Democrats (59%) than African Americans (47%) support affirmative action in college and university admissions.
While this may seem surprising, it’s not shocking to those of us who follow the movements on campuses and elsewhere. The uniformity of support on liberal campuses and in corprate HR departments for Affirmative Action does not reflect reality.
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