Activists to ask U-M to drop ‘discriminatory’ ACT, SAT scores from admissions

Examsguru.net – ACT, SAT: Despite Tuesday’s setback at the U.S. Supreme Court, affirmative action supporters are vowing to continue the fight to boost minority enrollment at the state’s most prestigious university.

George Washington, an attorney for the group By Any Means Necessary, said activists will ask the University of Michigan to drop the use of ACT and SAT scores in its admissions process.

“We will take action to increase admissions at U-M, ask them to drop SAT and ACT tests and other discriminatory (tests) so that we get fair and equal admissions,” Washington said.

He spoke in the wake of the justices’ ruling Tuesday that Michigan’s 2006 ban on use of students’ race in public university admissions is constitutional, a setback for affirmative action activists.

The ACT and SAT standardized tests — taken by high school students and used by many universities as part of admissions — work in favor of privileged students and against minority students, Washington said.

“Everybody knows these have been discriminatory tests,” Washington said. “They don’t tell you much about how someone is going to do at the school.”

Asked if he thought BAMN could convince U-M to drop the tests that have been used for decades, Washington said: “It will be a fight.”

A demonstration is planned near U-M’s admission office on Thursday, with BAMN and other activists demanding that the university drop the test scores.

U-M officials could not be immediately reached for comment

Source: detroitnews.com