Scott Campaign Press Release - Tim Scott Weighs in on SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action

"We will not be judged solely by the color of our skin. That's what the ruling said today. But that is the story of America. That is a story of American progress, and we can all celebrate that today." – Tim Scott

CHARLESTON, SC –  Today, Tim Scott weighed in on the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in college admissions.

Watch the full interview here

Tim Scott
FOX News' Faulkner Focus
June 29, 2023

Julie Banderas: Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina Republican Candidate for President joins me now. This is a monumental decision that has reversed a decision that has been in place for 19 years. What is your reaction today?

Tim Scott: Well, Julie, I think this is a good day for America. Honestly. This is the day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin, is what our Constitution wants. We are continuing to work on forming this more perfect union. Today is better than yesterday, this year, better than last year, this decade better than last decade. The progress that we're seeing in this nation, it's palpable. That's good news for every single corridor of this nation and one that we should celebrate. I thank God Almighty that America continues to work towards that concept of a more perfect union.

Julie Banderas: How do these universities, such as the University of North Carolina and Harvard, in this case now move on and continue to fulfill their diverse campus as they both want? These prominent schools say that their standards have a larger societal goal, one endorsed for decades by the courts to promote a robust, intellectually diverse campus for future leaders. Um, is it, is it safe to say that they're not gonna want to continue that mission since they had been on that mission for 19 years? How is this court ruling going to prevent them from continuing down that path?

Tim Scott: Well, I think the question is how do you continue to create a culture where education is the goal for every single part of our community? One of the things that Harvard can do to make that even better is to eliminate any legacy programs where they have preferential treatment for legacy kids. So, right, not allow for the professors that their, their kids to come to Harvard as well. They're looking for a way to improve the footprint of Harvard. Let's make sure that all admissions are based on academic scores and not just eliminating affirmative action. But let's look at the legacy programs. Let's look at the fact that the professor's kids get to go there as well. The good news for America, though, is that anyone from anywhere at any time can rise above beyond their circumstances and live out their American dream. Whether that's going to Harvard, if you can't get into my alma mater or Charleston Southern University, maybe that's a better option. I don't know, choose University of South Carolina or Clemson. Our education system is the marvel of the world, thank God, where Americans, and thank God today we continue to see signs of progress in every aspect of American life.

Julie Banderas: Yeah, we certainly are. Today is a monumental day. I wanna move on to a statement on the decision from former President Obama and the former First Lady. It reads, in part, 'My heart breaks for any young person out there who's wondering what their future holds and what kinds of chances will be open to them. Today is a reminder that we've got to do the work, not just to enact policies that reflect our values of equity and fairness, but to truly make those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.' Now, what is that saying to African-Americans in this country, coming from a former African-American president and our very first African and only African-American president? It's basically saying to me, would you concur that African-Americans, if you were going to apply to a college, well now you are gonna have a harder time. That is not a positive message to be sending to the American people because that's not the case in this landmark decision.

Tim Scott: Well, the good news is we're gonna have another African American president. His name will be Tim Scott. And this is January 2025. Here's what I would say to America today, that I am excited about who we are as a nation. I'm excited about the progress that we've seen in the rear view mirror, but what excites me the most about America is that when you look at the windshield of our future, it is bright for all of our kids. Unfortunately, the radical left have been co-opted by the teachers unions. And so making sure that we get back to providing quality education in every single zip code in this nation, K-12, means that with quality education K-12, your child can go to the most elite colleges in America. If we fix public education, we will make sure that every generation going forward will have access to opportunities.

Tim Scott: And oh, by the way, I'm not sure that going to an elite university is the path to prosperity. It is actually going as high as your character, your grit and your talent will take you. That means whether you go to Harvard, Charleston Southern, or whether you wanna be a plumber or a welder, you too can experience your version of the American Dream. I'm running for president because I know America can do for anyone what she has done for me. But sending the message that somehow the color of your skin means that you will not be able to achieve your goals from an educational perspective, from an income perspective, or family formation, that is a lie from the pit of hell. We will not be judged solely by the color of our skin. That's what the ruling said today. But that is the story of America. That is a story of American progress, and we can all celebrate that today.