The leader of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) lashed out at the White House administration on Tuesday for revoking the Obama-era federal guidelines that encourage colleges to consider race in their admissions determinations, calling the move an unveiled attack on minorities.
Democratic Representative Cedric Richmond accused President Donald Trump of pursuing racist policies.
“Yet again we see that this administration’s goal and vision for ‘Making America Great Again’ is to reduce the role of the state in making sure our society prizes diversity and inclusion,” Richmond said in a statement. “While I am not surprised, I continue to be disappointed that the President of this great country demonstrably cares so little for its non-white residents and their interests.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also joined the discussion, stating that Trump’s decision is an “attack on communities of color” and it will steal education opportunities from some of the nation’s most vulnerable students.
“Our economy, society, and democracy are enriched when every person, regardless of their zip code, has a shot at a quality education that allows them to climb the ladders of opportunity,” she said in a statement.
According to The Hill, a series of nonbinding guidelines, issued by the Education Department during the Obama administration, were designed to encourage schools to continue affirmative action policies in the face of legal restrictions and looming challenges. One ongoing case has found Harvard University fighting charges that it has held Asian Americans to a higher standard than other students in its admissions process.
Overall, the Sessions scrapped guidance on 24 different policies affecting topics like education, housing finance, and criminal justice.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the rescissions were necessary because the guidelines “were issued improperly or that were simply inconsistent with current law.”
“The President is sending a message to his future nominee and to his base that he and his administration don’t care about diversity and will actively work to turn back the clock,” Richmond said.
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