Justices’ past affirmative action views, in their own words

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a 2007 case in which the court rejected efforts to combat segregation in Seattle schools he wrote: “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” And in a different case involving race in redistricting he memorably wrote: “It is a sordid business, this divvying us up by race.” The last time the court considered an affirmative action case, in 2015, Roberts asked about the benefits of diversity this way during arguments: “What unique perspective does a minority student bring to a physics class?” CLARENCE THOMAS Thomas has a long record of opposition to affirmative action programs, and his views relate to is own experience. NEIL GORSUCH, BRETT KAVANAUGH, AMY CONEY BARRETT The court's remaining three conservatives, all appointed by President Donald Trump, have no track record on affirmative action. On the court, Sotomayor has defended affirmative action, most strongly perhaps in a 2014 case in which her colleagues upheld a Michigan affirmative action ban passed in the wake of the court's Grutter decision. KETANJI BROWN JACKSON Jackson, who earlier this year became the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court, could have a lot to say on the topic of affirmative action.