Extra Time: Affirmative action sparks reaction across the nation
In this edition of 'Eyewitness News Extra Time,' we begin with yet another precedent-shattering, blockbuster decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a 6-3 decision, the majority ruled the affirmative action programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.
This overturns four decades of legal precedent and will force schools that use affirmative action to find a new way to build and maintain diversity among student bodies and level the playing field that for so many generations has been more than fair or level.
This comes about a year and a week after the same court ended a woman's constitutional right to an abortion.
Nearly a century's worth of civil rights protections, fought for by millions, has been overturned over the course of two mornings by six people.
The latest ruling has sparked intense and emotional reaction across the country and the political spectrum.
Eyewitness News reporter Sonia Rincon sets the stage in this blockbuster ruling.
Meanwhile, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee Damon Hewitt dives into the decision and what it could mean in the grand scheme of social justice in America.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also weighed in, viewing the ruling as a setback for many reasons.
You can watch 'Eyewitness News Extra Time' live Monday-Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7NY.com or our ABC7NY app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.
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