Mike Peterson
Apple is one of more than a dozen companies backing Harvard University in a fierce legal battle concerning race in college admissions.
In 2014, Edward Blum, a staunch opponent of affirmative action, levied a lawsuit against Harvard arguing that the school was breaking the law by engaging in "racial balancing." A court ruled against Blum's original complaint, which alleged that Harvard was favoring African American and Latino applicants, in 2019. Blum, as a result, has filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals in Boston.
On May 21, Apple, along with companies like Intel, Twitter and Amgen, backed Harvard by signing onto a friend of the court brief, reports Bloomberg. In the brief, the companies took no official stance on Harvard's policy, but maintained that they depend on diverse student bodies among colleges in their search for "the next superb employee."
In lieu of "workable race-neutral alternatives," the companies wrote, affirmative action was still the best possible option.
"As the Supreme Court recognized nearly twenty years ago, the skills needed in today's increasingly global marketplace can only be developed through exposure to widely diverse people,'" the brief reads, citing a landmark 2003 decision by the Supreme Court.
Blum, for his part, said it's "bewildering to witness, yet again, how out-of-step these companies are with the vast majority of Americans."
Apple regularly releases figures on the diversity of its workforce. Apple CEO Tim Cook has also used his personal platform to advocate for diversity.
Like many other tech companies, Apple's top ranks are occupied by white males. Corporate diversity and inclusion initiatives appear to be slowly changing Apple's workforce composition, the company's latest diversity report shows.
"Talent is everywhere," the companies wrote in the brief. "It is not located exclusively in any one particular corner of humanity."
If the complaint is defeated yet again, Blum is almost certain to seek a review by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Christine McKee
Marko Zivkovic
Wesley Hilliard
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
59 Comments
The Supreme Court has already ruled against these unconstitutional attempts at “balancing” things by reverse-discrimination.
Well, thank you Mr. Blum then!
So Harvard is getting in trouble for keeping Asians out, and also getting in trouble for making it easier for other minority groups to get in? Lol. Apple’s previous diversity head got it right when she said that diversity of thought is more important than diversity of superficial physics features. The reasonable, and practical, way to deal with this is to help make people better candidates, rather than just making it easier to get in. Smart people understand this. Apple understands this, which is why they pledged $40M to HBCUs. It’s also why the president in 2018 pledged a record $360M to HBCUs. Apple is so practical and careful in most everything it does, so it’s disappointing to see them throw their hat into the ring on issues that cause more divisiveness.
Would be interested to know the makeup of AI readers. 80% white, male?
Has AI ever done a reader poll?