Realizing Bakke's Legacy: Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity, and Access to Higher Education

• How has Bakke shaped our understanding of race, access to education, and affirmative action?• Will Bakke remain relevant for the future, legally and politically?• Can we use Bakke to re-envision affirmative action in higher education?Published to mark the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Bakke decision, this book explores the complex set of legal and educational policy circumstances established by this historic court decision that continues to simultaneously frame, narrow, and confound our understanding of affirmative action in higher education specifically, and issues of equity in education broadly.By “upholding Bakke,” the Supreme Court, in its Gratz and Grutter opinions, maintained its centrality in the on-going argument about access to higher education. However, this validation of racial and ethnic diversity as a legally compelling interest did not silence the multiplicity of voices debating the consequences and fundamental issues of Bakke. Multi-disciplinary in approach and multi-racial in content, this book represents that kaleidoscope of voices and opinions. The contributors include scholars of national stature in the areas of access and equity in education.The book is guided by three frames: Bakke's legal and philosophical lineage; the educational pipeline -- past, present, and future; and policy and practice. It begins with an historical analysis of the legal and policy parameters of the decision and highlights the legal and social fissures that exist related to affirmative action and college admissions. It discusses in detail the philosophical underpinnings of affirmative action as a catalyst for reaping the benefits of diversity. The book also reviews Bakke's broader influences on K-12 and postsecondary politics, and practices across institutional, state, and national levels.As racial divisions in the country are sharpening and as educational outcomes continue to be directly related to race and poverty, this volume will help inform the discussions and decisions by federal and state policy-makers, educational providers, civil rights advocates and other interested stakeholders to bring about the changes that lead to equal opportunity.