Trump to rescind Obama-era guidance on affirmative action

The Trump administration is moving to rescind Obama-era guidance that encouraged schools to take a person’s race into account to encourage diversity in admissions, a US official says.

The shift would give schools and universities the federal government’s blessing to take a race-neutral approach to the students they consider for admission.

A formal announcement is expected later today from the Justice and Education departments, according to the official, who speaks on condition of anonymity because the plan has not yet been disclosed.

The guidance from the Obama administration gave schools a framework for “considering race to further the compelling interests in achieving diversity and avoiding racial isolation.” That approach replaced Bush-era policy from a decade earlier.

The new guidance will not have the force of law, but schools will presumably be able to defend themselves from lawsuits by following administration policy.

— AP