Barack Obama urges renewed efforts after the admissions ruling
Barack ObamaFormer president of the United States
Obama argues that affirmative action gave excluded students an opportunity to demonstrate their merit and calls for renewed efforts after the ruling.
“Affirmative action was never a complete answer in the drive towards a more just society. But for generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of America’s key institutions—it gave us the chance to show we more than deserved a seat at the table. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, it’s time to redouble our efforts.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
Was the Supreme Court right to reject Harvard and UNC's race-conscious admissions programs?
The Supreme Court invalidated Harvard's and UNC's challenged admissions programs on June 29, 2023. The majority said their use of race failed equal-protection requirements. The dissents argued that the decision misunderstood equality and would deepen racial inequality in education.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Obama's original June 29, 2023 post and follow-up about the Supreme Court admissions decision.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Obama responded to the Harvard and UNC ruling in a post on X.
After the quotation
In a follow-up post he links to a statement and lists organizations doing important work for people looking for ways to help.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Obama criticizes the loss of the opportunities provided by race-conscious admissions and urges renewed efforts after the ruling. Acknowledging that the policy was incomplete does not express support for the Court decision.
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More from this case
Read the full caseRick Scott says the admissions ruling should have been unanimous
“Today’s Supreme Court decision was the right one for our nation and should have been 9-0.”Read statement
Ted Cruz says the admissions ruling restores fairness
“Today the Supreme Court has ended our country’s long and failed experiment with racial quotas and government-sanctioned racial discrimination, and, in the process, restored some measure of objectivity and fairness to the college admissions process. This is a great day for all Americans.”Read statement
Bobby Scott calls the admissions ruling a setback for educational access
“Regrettably, the Supreme Court’s decision to end the consideration of race as a factor in college admissions is a significant setback in our effort to eliminate disparities in access to higher education and ensure diverse learning environments for all students.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Barack Obama urges renewed efforts after the admissions ruling". First published: 2026-10-20. Last updated: 2026-10-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/6280-obama-argues-that-affirmative-action-gave-excluded-students