Harvard’s Fight With Conservatives Over Admissions Could Reach Kavanaugh
- Trial starts for lawsuit claiming bias against Asian-Americans
- Trump’s DOJ backs Blum in case Kavanaugh may ultimately hear
Harvard goes to court Monday to fight a lawsuit claiming it illegally limits the number of Asian-Americans it accepts. The suit, grinding on since 2014, seeks to stop it from considering race and may reach the Supreme Court, where Justice Brett Kavanaugh could tip the balance against affirmative action in college admissions for decades to come.
The case, which is being heard without a jury in federal court in Boston by Judge Allison Burroughs, was filed by Students For Fair Admissions, a group led by affirmative action opponent Edward Blum. It accuses Harvard of engaging in “racial balancing.” Admission of Asian-American students, who often have perfect grades and test scores, is capped through vague and manipulable “personal” and overall ratings, SFFA contends, while other minorities are favored.