Washington, D.C. – In response to the lawsuit filed by Ed Blum against the University of Texas at Austin alleging that its consideration of race in admissions violates the Texas Constitution, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law made the following statement:
“It is astounding that Edward Blum would seek to resurrect his failed challenge against the University of Texas’s lawful admissions policy on the heels of the 65th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. Blum did not prevail before the Supreme Court which has made clear that race can be one among a number of factors considered by colleges and universities in a holistic admissions process” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Clarke continued: “Blum’s attempt to now retry his case before a Texas state court reflects a level of recalcitrance and hostility that is undeniable. No doubt, Blum is engaged in an all-out assault against racial diversity efforts at our nation’s colleges and universities and we will continue using every tool in our arsenal to push back against his efforts. Our nation’s students benefit from learning in a diverse educational setting and attempts to turn the clock back on diversity must be wholly condemned and rejected.”
Read complaint here
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 56th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact
Reynolds Graves, Lawyers’ Committee, RGraves@LawyersCommittee.org, 202-662-8375
