Statement on Supreme Court Decision

September 8, 2023

The June 29, 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action marks the end of race-conscious admissions practices in higher education—and potentially other areas of public policy. Despite the reams of social science evidence on the multiple ways that racism impacts access to opportunity, the Supreme Court has decided that colleges cannot consider race as one of a number of factors when making admissions decisions between qualified applicants.

This ruling to strike down affirmative action is part of a larger pattern. In the last decade, the  Supreme Court has issued decisions that limit the rights of women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ members of our society, and we can anticipate further limitations in the coming years. These decisions communicate that only a very specific subset of the population enjoys the rights and freedoms we all deserve within American society.

This is not new. When we look at the historic ways in which racial discrimination has affected our policies and practices, we can see that our nation has never been colorblind. In fact, so many of our policies have consistently advantaged White Americans and assisted them in accumulating wealth and power while excluding people of color—a longstanding practice in American society to uphold White supremacy. One powerful example of this is the G.I. Bill, through which the federal government assisted veterans returning home from World War II by funding higher education and providing loans so that they could purchase homes. During the passage of  this legislation, southern White senators fought to ensure its benefits would be disbursed locally, opening the door for a massive government transfer of wealth to White people in the form of greater access to higher education and homeownership in communities that purposefully excluded Black Americans. Affirmative action in college admissions has been one attempt to remedy the ways this and many other policies systematized racial disparities.

In the face of the recent Supreme Court ruling, it is crucial that we remember that the work we are dedicated to doing together at Bank Street everyday is a small act of reparation for the mental and material legacy of slavery and Jim Crow. 

At Bank Street, we believe that education is one of the greatest levers in our society to create  true equality for all citizens and that everyone should have access to a high-quality education. This belief underscores our work here at the Graduate School, beginning with the way we recruit and admit prospective students. The Supreme Court ruling does not impact our current enrollment practices in any way because at Bank Street we have always understood “merit” in the context of the history noted above. Furthermore, we are aware of the powerful research that demonstrates the educational benefits of racially and ethnically diverse learning environments and we believe in the importance of providing students of different backgrounds and cultures an opportunity to further their education.

Thus, in light of the attack on race-conscious admissions practices, our Graduate School reaffirms its dedication to carefully consider the way that racism impacts each applicant’s access to educational opportunity. We will continue to engage in a recruitment and admissions process grounded in a holistic review of an individual’s civic engagement, academic history, context of their academic experiences, and personal and career goals. We know that race has mattered in shaping the opportunities and experiences of our prospective students and that the merit of each applicant is in part derived from their ability to thrive in such a racialized context. Therefore, an important aspect of our admissions process includes conducting interviews with each applicant in which we share Bank Street’s commitment to preparing educators who fully understand the need to dismantle racism in educational spaces and become advocates for and champions of access to educational opportunity for all.

In addition, through partnerships with educators, school districts, non-profits, higher education leaders, and state policymakers, Bank Street is supporting the creation of equitable systems and schools. Some current examples include:

• In partnership with New York City Public Schools, the Graduate School of Education has launched the second cohort of its District 13 full-time, paid residency, which prepares educators versed in culturally responsive and antiracist practices to work in New York City public schools.
• Last year, 15 early childhood leaders joined Learning Starts At Birth’s first cohort of the Early Childhood Policy Fellowship. The fellows, who hold positions at government agencies and nonprofits, strengthened the leadership skills necessary for advancing equity in early childhood settings. The selection process for this fellowship prioritizes those who have been historically excluded from policy leadership positions.
• In partnership with New Leaders’ National Aspiring Principals Fellowship, the Graduate School of Education offers an online principal certification and master’s degree program that is designed to be an affordable pathway prioritizing equity-focused educators across New York state to move into school leadership and to honor the experiences and identities of educators of color and center equity.
• Through the CCRE Collective, led by the Center on Culture, Race & Equity, educational leaders from public and private schools and early childhood organizations nationwide participate in online workshops, small-group meetings, and coaching sessions to support their work to advance equity in education.
• The Bank Street Education Center has partnered with Districts 17 and 18 in Brooklyn to strengthen the math education that Black, Latinx, and low income middle school students are receiving, using an approach that empowers leaders and teachers to work at the nexus of child and adult development and race, culture, and local context.

Even as the College remains dedicated to equity and anti-racism, it is important that we acknowledge the impact of the larger social and political context, including the recent Supreme Court ruling, on our civil rights and our fundamental values of social and racial justice. We must  also remember to care for ourselves and our community. At Bank Street, we are committed to continuing to provide time and space to process these patterns and learn together about how best to uphold our values both individually and collectively.

Shael Polakow-Suransky, President, Bank Street College
Ray DiAquoi, Chief Equity Officer
Amy Stuart Wells, Dean, Graduate School of Education
Kevin B. Taylor, Director of Graduate Admissions