Charles Barkley is doing his part in end-running the United States Supreme Court’s decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions … he’s amending his will to provide scholarships for Black students.
Barkley says he’ll leave $5 million to his alma mater, Auburn, adding, “That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse. After that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up. I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn.’”
Black students comprise just over 5% of Auburn’s student body.
As you know, SCOTUS gutted affirmative action Thursday, ruling that using race as a factor in deciding who gets into a school violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The way the ruling is written … it could have far-reaching implications, including in the area of employment.
Barkley’s found a way to help … we’ll see who follows.