Associate US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas poses for the official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on October 7, 2022.
Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said he didn’t know what the word “diversity” meant.
Thomas asked for a specific definition of the word during oral arguments for a high-profile case.
The Supreme Court is tackling a case challenging affirmative action in college admissions.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said on Monday that he wasn’t sure what “diversity” means during remarks in a high-profile case tackling affirmative action.
“I’ve heard the word diversity quite a few times and I don’t have a clue what it means. It seems to mean everything for everyone,” Thomas said as he asked for a specific definition of the word.
“You did give some examples in your opening remarks, but I’d like you to give us a specific definition of diversity in the context of the University of North Carolina,” Thomas said. “And I’d also like you to give us a clear idea of exactly what the educational benefits of diversity at the University of North Carolina would be.”
Ryan Park, North Carolina’s solicitor general who is defending the university, said in response that the state defines diversity in the same way that Supreme Court does, and cited “a broadly diverse set of criteria that extends to all different backgrounds and perspectives, and not solely limited to race.”
Park cited “peer-reviewed literature” that showed employees in diverse environments perform better, linking that to educational benefits.
But Thomas took issue with that evidence, linking it to segregation.
“I don’t put much stock in that because I’ve heard similar arguments in favor of segregation too,” he said.
The court heard oral arguments Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) vs. the University of North Carolina (UNC), a case centered around the school’s admissions process. SFFA, a non-profit organization, has alleged that UNC has discriminated against white and Asian applicants.
UNC denied SFFA’s allegations, and lower courts sided with the university before the case was brought to the Supreme Court. A court ruling against the college could upend decades of affirmative-action support.