Ending affirmative action at this juncture in American history is not only naive, but incredibly foolhardy. 

The U.S. Supreme Courts heard arguments on Oct. 10 whether or not they would uphold California and Michigan ballot measures that will prohibit state universities from granting special preferences to applicants based on race.

The measure hailing from Michigan was struck down by an appeals court, which ruled that it’s passage was unfair, considering most of the voters who voted to pass the measure were white. 

Marginalizing a group’s right to vote on an issue is usually unfair, but considering they were voting to strip minorities of their education rights, it’s not too farfetched a ruling. The rulings echo the recent striking down of Proposition 8: letting a majority vote down the rights and privileges of a minority is not only capricious but unconstitutional.

If the court rules in the favor of the ballot measures, it will change the demographics of state universities in America for the worse. After all, universities aren’t simply bastions of knowledge, they are also a bevy of different perspectives. 

Students are not only exposed to information to use in the workforce, but different cultures, ideas, and worldviews that come with having a student body that is as much a melting pot as America. 

Some would argue that all minorities should have to prove themselves on an equal playing field. But that’s just it: the playing field isn’t equal. Affirmative action was not only made to give blacks and latinos a leg up in the admissions process, but it was intended to help women get into higher education back when their only “career choices” were either homemaker or secretary. 

During the hearings, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor proclaimed to the court that she was a product of affirmative action. Sotomayor is a member of two minorities of affirmative action – a Puerto Rican and a woman – who graduated from Princeton University and Yale Law School with top honors. 

“When you take away a tool for diversity…you are changing the playing field,” said Sotomayor to the court on Oct. 10. 

And let’s not be naive, it will absolutely change the playing field: it did in Michigan. 

The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action noted that after the Michigan measure to do away with affirmative action was enacted in 2006, the number of minority students dropped dramatically. The number of minorities admitted to the University of Michigan Law School alone dropped by 50 percent. 

While schools will suffer from a lack of diversity if affirmative action is done away with, the number one victims in this debate will be students. 

“I’m a minority myself,” said sophomore nutrition major Michael Huang, 20, who identifies himself as Chinese-American. “Reading on the history of civil rights, I think [affirmative action] is a force of good and don’t think we should discontinue it yet.” 

We’ve made plenty of social progress in America, as far as race is concerned, but are still a long way away from true racial equality. Affirmative action levels the playing field, giving minorities the ability to better themselves, while contributing unique perspective and culture to places of learning. 

Ending it at this juncture would not only be a massive disservice to students, but to higher learning as a whole.