This week in OtherWords, we look at the tangled state of the Supreme Court and higher education.
To kick things off, Sonali Kolhatkar explains why the Supreme Court’s recent ruling banning the consideration of race in college admissions — with the notable exception of military academies, as cartoonist Khalil Bendib illustrates — amounts to affirmative action for families who are already wealthy. And veteran attorney Mitchell Zimmerman explains how we got such a politicized, polarizing Supreme Court in the first place.
Then, in a pair of intriguing pieces, we look at two overlooked issues facing younger people.
Danielle Browne shares about the transformative effect of her time working on an organic farm — and explains what it will take to get more young people into a rapidly aging but essential profession. Meanwhile Bella DeVaan explains why young people have perhaps the biggest stake of all in the ongoing debate over Social Security.
New This Week…
End Legacy Admissions | Sonali Kolhatkar
Giving priority admissions to well-connected families has long been a form of “affirmative action” for the rich.
Young People Can’t Sit on the Sidelines on Social Security | Bella DeVaan
Young workers struggling to save amid high rents and student debt will pay the biggest price for cuts. Here’s how to prevent them.
Cultivating the Next Crop of America’s Farmers | Danielle Browne
America’s farmers are aging. To avoid a crisis, we need to lower the economic barriers of entry for young farmers.
The Supreme Court’s Gone Rogue and Americans Are Suffering for It | Mitchell Zimmerman
Three illicitly appointed GOP judges sit at the heart of the court’s legitimacy crisis.
Cartoon: Affirmative Reaction | Khalil Bendib
The Supreme Court preserved affirmative action for wealthy families while abandoning it for everyone else — with one telling exception.
In Case You Missed It…
Fighting Censorship Is a Proud American Tradition | Svante Myrick
Groups claiming to celebrate “liberty” are calling for book bans. That’s un-American and wrong.
A Tale of Two Tragedies at Sea | Phyllis Bennis
Why should lost billionaires get an international rescue effort while hundreds of refugees are left to die at sea?
Clear the Air, Cut Military Spending | Alliyah Lusuegro
Most of us understand the need to cut carbon emissions. But a huge share of our tax dollars are funding the most carbon-intensive institution on the planet.
The Boldest Step To Close the Racial Wealth Divide in Generations | Dedrick Asante-Muhammad
One state’s “Baby Bonds” program should be a model for the whole country.
