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Journal Garland DECEMBER 16, 2015
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Scalia's racist view of Black students based on 'myth' By George E. Curry Editor-in-Chief George Curry Media
NEWS ANALYSIS WASHINGTON - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's view that students of color are better matched at "a less advanced ...slower track" schools than at the nation's top-tier universities is a myth that has been thoroughly debunked. Scalia touched off a firestorm last Wednesday as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Fisher v. University of TexasAustin, a case brought by a rejected White student challenging the university's affirmative action program. The university selects 75 percent of its freshmen class (some years it has been as much as 92 percent) through a process that guarantees admission to the top 10 percent of each high school graduating class. The remaining students are chosen through an individualized affirmative action program that considers such factors as demonstrated leadership qualities, extracurricular activities, honors and awards, essays, work experience, community service, and special circumstances such as applicant's socioeconomic status, family composition, special family responsibilities, socioeconomic status of applicant's high school and race. Even though to points are assigned to any category, Abigail Fisher decided to sue on the basis of race, saying the consideration of race violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. However, the university said she would not have been accepted even if no affirmative action program were
in place. Scalia said, "There are ÂÂthere are those who contend that it does not benefit AfricanÂAmericans to ÂÂ-- to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a lessÂ-advanced school, a less --ÂÂa slowerÂ-track school where they do well. One of ÂÂ-- one of the briefs pointed out that ÂÂ-- that most of the --ÂÂmost of the black scientists in this country don't come from schools like the University of Texas. They come from lesser schools where they
do not feel that they're ÂÂ-- that they're being pushed ahead in --ÂÂin classes that are too --ÂÂtoo fast for them." Scalia, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1986 by Ronald Reagan, shifted from the "some people" straw argument to express his deeply personal view, which many public figures have since condemned as blatantly racist. He said, "I'm just not impressed by the fact that --ÂÂthat the University of Texas may have fewer. Maybe it ought to have fewer. And maybe some -- ÂÂyou know, when you take more, the
number of blacks, really competent blacks admitted to lesser schools, turns out to be less. And ÂÂ-- and I --ÂÂI don't think it --ÂÂit ÂÂit stands to reason that it's a good thing for the University of Texas to admit as many blacks as possible." To his credit, Gregory G. Garre, one of the attorneys representing the University of Texas, immediately challenged the core of Scalia's argument. He replied, "This Court heard and rejected that argument, with respect, Justice Scalia, in the Grutter case, a case that our opponents haven't asked this Court to overrule. If you look at the academic performance of holistic minority admits versus the top 10 percent admits, over time, they ÂÂ-- they fare better. And, frankly, I don't think the solution to the problems with student body diversity can be to set up a system in which not only are minorities going to separate schools, they're going to inferior schools. I think what experience shows, at Texas, California, and Michigan, is that now is not the time and this is not the case to roll back student body diversity in America." Al Sharpton told supporters on the steps of the Supreme Court after the oral arguments, "Scalia says Blacks ought to go to schools that are not as hard as the University of Texas, that is not as fast for them. I didn't know if I was in the Supreme Court or at a Donald Trump rally." Scalia, the longest serving justice on the Supreme Court, was parroting a friend-of-the-court brief filed in support of Fisher by the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation and another one filed by University of San Diego law professor Gail Heriot and Cleveland attorney Peter Kirsanow, congressional appointees to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Matthew Chingos, a scholar at the Urban Institute, noted"[Scalia's] remarks reference the so-called 'mismatch hypothesis,' which posits that minority students are harmed by
See SCALIA’s RACIST VIEW, page 11
Sylvester Turner elected Houston mayor Sylvester Turner was born and raised in the Acres Homes community in northwest Houston. His parents moved to Acres Homes in 1954, the year Sylvester was born. Recently he was elected mayor of Houston, TX. Sylvester’s mother worked as a maid in the old Rice Hotel in Houston. His father worked as a painter for Continental Ensco and on the weekends, cut yards with his sons to make extra money. The Turners raised nine children in their modest twobedroom home in Acres Homes. Sylvester lost his father to cancer when he was 13 years old. Sylvester attended neighborhood public schools until forced integration came to Houston and he was bused to Klein High School. After a predictably rocky start, the student body adapted to its new enrollees – and Sylvester was later elected president of the student body and graduated as a valedictorian. Sylvester went on to attend the University of Houston and Harvard Law School before joining the law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski. He later founded the Houston law firm of Barnes & Turner in 1983. In 1988, Sylvester was elected to the Texas House of Representatives to serve the people of House District 139 in Harris County.
$750,000 awarded to grow jobs in Ennis AUSTIN - Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has awarded $750,000 to the city of Ennis for water, sewer, natural gas and street infrastructure improvements through the Texas Capital Fund (TCF). The award will support the creation of a plastic materials manufacturing facility operated by Sterilite Corp. and 40 new full-time jobs. “The Texas Capital Fund is a smart investment that grows jobs and rejuvenates local economies across Texas,� Commissioner Miller said. “This award will help enhance economic development in Ennis, and I am proud to support these efforts to create jobs and opportunity for Texans.� Federally funded through the Texas Community Development Block Grant program, TCF provides more than $8 million in competitive awards each year to boost economic development in small Texas communities. “The grant being awarded to the Sterilite Corp. will provide excellent resources to enable them to expand their operations in Ellis County,� Rep. John Wray said. “I would like to thank the Texas Department of Agriculture and Commissioner Miller for their support of job-creating businesses in rural communities.� TCF is administered by TDA’s Office of Rural Affairs and provides funding for projects in four different program areas: Infrastructure Development, Real Estate Development, Main Street Improvements and Downtown Revitalization.
Legendary Black attorney succumbs to pancreatic cancer The Dallas Examiner and the Law Office of James C. Belt Jr. mourns the loss of Attorney James C. Belt Jr. For close to 40 years, he has served the community as a civil and criminal lawyer. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Pan American University, Edinburg, in 1968. And went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston in 1977. He opened his private practice in the heart of South Dallas, where he served those who needed him most. Belt, who was also a Dallas Examiner co-publisher, sat on the board of the National Newspaper Publisher Association, the official Black Press of America and the NNPA Foundation Board. He served as more of a silent partner and advisor, but it was his support that has helped The Dallas Examiner continue to serve the community for almost 30 years. He was the founder of the Dallas Black Criminal Bar Association – an organization of Black lawyers in the private
See JAMES BELT, continued on page 2
Here’s wishing you a Happy Holiday season and the best in 2016, from the Garland Journal Family!