In late June, before entering its summer recess, the Supreme Court of the United States issued four outstanding decisions, confirming that justice can still prevail in this nation and the U.S. Constitution still matters!
Race-Conscious College Admission Policies Rejected. In Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, a 6–3 Court ruled that the race-conscious admission policies of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Rejected: In Biden, President of the United States v. Nebraska, et al. a 6–3 Court ruled that the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (HEROES Act) does not give the Biden administration authority to establish a student loan forgiveness program.
Rights of Website Designer Upheld: In 303 Creative LLC et al. v. Elenis, et al., a 6–3 Court ruled a website designer has the right under the First Amendment to refuse to create websites for the wedding of a gay couple, or any websites “that defy any of her beliefs … whether that involves encouraging violence, demeaning another person, or promoting views inconsistent with her religious commitments.”
Rights of Christian Worker Upheld: In Groff v. DeJoy, Postmaster General, a unanimous Court confirmed that employers—including the U.S. Postal Service—must make reasonable religious accommodations for their employees, in this case an Evangelical Christian postal carrier who refused to work on Sundays.
In the July 6 edition of his Classical Principles newsletter, economist Robert Genetski offers a more thorough look at the first three of these cases, as well as one from U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana. “Together,” Genetski writes, “they soundly reaffirm America’s traditional founding principles of freedom, which had been seriously compromised.”
To date, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued 58 opinions in cases heard during its October 2022 term (which runs October 1, 2022–October 1 2023). You can find them here: U.S. Supreme Court. In this Washington Examiner article, you can get a preview of five cases the Court is expected to decide after its summer recess, before the October 2022 term closes.