By Julie Saynganthone
The Results Are In.
Affirmative action has been a deeply contentious issue in American education, designed to address historical injustices and enhance diversity. Over the years, these policies have garnered both staunch support and significant criticism. In 2023, the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College marked a dramatic shift by effectively dismantling affirmative action, reshaping the future of college admissions and diversity initiatives.[1]
Prestigious schools including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tufts University, Yale University, and Princeton University have recently published their demographic breakdowns for the incoming classes of 2028.[2] Although preliminary, these reports reveal a notable trend: a decrease in overall diversity. [3] Specifically, there are significant declines in the enrollment of Latino and Black American students, while the number of white students has generally increased. [4] These shifts reflect the early impact of the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action on college admissions.
The effects on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students, however, have been mixed.[5] Like other marginalized communities, Asian Americans are divided between those who view affirmative action as essential for addressing inequities and those who view it as severely disadvantaging their groups. Despite these concerns, it may be too early to draw firm conclusions. Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) is calling for more detailed, disaggregated data among the specific Asian American groups to better understand the evolving impacts as statistics continue to be reported.[6]
This discussion is especially pertinent given that Asian Americans were at the forefront of the landmark case that led to the dismantling of affirmative action. Despite their pivotal role in the case, their broader contributions to the debate on race and social justice have been largely overlooked—a striking omission, considering that the case was originally brought by Asian American plaintiffs. While the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on Asian Americans remains a subject of debate, it underscores the role that Asian Americans play, and continue to play historically, in shaping conversations about race and social justice.
In the context of the affirmative action debate, Asian Americans are often subjected to what is called the “Model Minority Myth”—a stereotype suggesting that Asian Americans are uniformly successful and therefore do not face systemic barriers.[7] While this stereotype might appear positive on the surface, it is deeply problematic. The Model Minority Myth not only distorts public perceptions of Asian Americans, but also obscures the diverse and complex perspectives within the community itself. This internal diversity, where some Asian Americans support the elimination of affirmative action while others see it as unfair, adds a layer of controversy to the debate surrounding affirmative action.
The myth works to perpetuate a one-dimensional view that ignores the socioeconomic disparities and unique challenges faced by Asian American subgroups as well. For example, data about Asian American achievement typically lumps this diverse population together into a singular group. Taken as a whole, it shows that Asian Americans tend to hold higher degrees and earn larger incomes than the general population.[8] However, when looked at more closely, significant disparities emerge within the Asian American community. For instance, while some subgroups, such as Indian or Chinese Americans, may show higher educational attainment and income levels, other groups, such as Hmong, Laotian, and Cambodian Americans, face considerable economic and educational challenges.[9] These internal variations highlight that the Model Minority Myth overlooks the realities of poverty, lower educational achievement, and underemployment experienced by certain Asian American communities. By masking these disparities, the myth not only perpetuates an inaccurate and homogenized view of Asian Americans but also complicates efforts to address the specific needs and barriers faced by Asian subgroups.
Perhaps the most significant effect of the Model Minority Myth is how frequently it is used to drive a wedge in discussions about racial and social justice. By presenting Asian Americans as a “success story,” the myth can be leveraged to argue against affirmative action and other policies aimed at addressing systemic inequalities. This framing not only pits Asian Americans against other marginalized groups but also detracts from the broader conversation about racial equity. It can perpetuate the false narrative that any group’s success is solely a matter of individual effort, rather than recognizing the structural and systemic factors that affect different communities in varying ways. As a result, the myth complicates efforts to build solidarity among diverse racial and ethnic groups and undermines collective efforts to address systemic injustice and promote genuine equality.
While the debate over whether affirmative action positively affects Asian American admission rates persists, it is crucial to recognize that Asian Americans are consistently marginalized in discussions about these policies. This exclusion is particularly ironic and troubling, given that Asian Americans were the very plaintiffs who challenged the system in court.
Asian Americans’ exclusion from the affirmative action dialogue is more than just an oversight; it reflects a deeper issue of marginalizing their contributions and concerns. Their pivotal role in the landmark case demonstrates how their exclusion from the discussion distorts conversations about race and justice. In this case, Asian Americans are pitted against other marginalized groups, namely Black American and Latino students, who are highly impacted by the systemic barriers in higher education. Further, failing to address their perspectives perpetuates a skewed narrative that overlooks the complexities within the Asian American community and their broader impact on social justice issues. It is therefore essential to include Asian Americans in these discussions to ensure a more inclusive and accurate understanding of how affirmative action affects all communities.
[1] Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 1, 40 (2023).
[2] Aleisha Flores, Asian Americans Advancing Justice—AAJC Calls for Disaggregated Data for Incoming Class Demographics as Effect of Dismantling Affirmative Action Remains Unclear, asian americans advancing justice (Sept. 5, 2024), https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/press-release/asian-americans-advancing-justice-aajc-calls-disaggregated-data-incoming-class.
[3] Id.
[4] Susan Svrluga, Harvard’s Black enrollment drops after Supreme Court ruling, the washington post (Sept. 11, 2024, 5:11 PM), https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/09/11/harvard-black-enrollment-drop-affirmative-action/.
[5] Flores, supra note 2.
[6] Id.
[7] Sarah-Soonling Blackburn, What is the Model Minority Myth?, learning for justice (Mar. 21, 2019), https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-is-the-model-minority-myth.
[8] Abby Budiman & Neil G. Ruiz, Key facts about Asian origin groups in the U.S., pew research center (Apr. 29, 2021), https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/04/29/key-facts-about-asian-origin-groups-in-the-u-s/.
[9] Id.
