Court of Appeals Upholds Affirmative Action at University of Texas at Austin

In a 2-1 ruling, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided that the University of Texas at Austin can use affirmative action in their admissions decisions, according to Politico [1]. This ruling is a response to a suit filed in 2008 by Abigail Fisher, a white student who opposed the University’s affirmative action program, alleging that it is discriminatory against white applicants from high-achieving high schools. The affirming judges stood by the University’s use of race in a “holistic” admissions process.

The court decision was met with celebrations by the University’s president, as well as its students. In an article by theroot.com [2], David McDonald, the president of the Black Student Alliance at UT Austin says, “My classmates and I have seen firsthand how important a diverse campus is to fostering a meaningful living and learning experience [….] I am thrilled that the 5th Circuit has upheld the principles of diversity in higher education.”

To learn more about college’s efforts towards building diversity and tolerance on campus and student activism, visit Not On Our Campus [3].

Read the full articles from Politico here. [1]

Video: Young Female Engineer Breaks Down Stereotypes

Fourteen-year-old Kathryn is breaking down gender stereotypes with her plan to build her own car, according to Upworthy [4]. Since she embarked on the project when she was 12, Kathryn has received support from around the globe and was named Autobild’s 2012 Woman of the Year.

Kathryn’s commitment to her passion has inspired many others. She states, “It’s important to me to be a role model in this project, because I want to be there to say, ‘Hey look, girls really can do this.’ [….] I think that people should have the chance to chase after their dreams and help them come true.”

Once she finishes her car, Kathryn plans to move on to bigger projects, such as tackling high school and going to an engineering university to pursue her dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer.

Kathryn’s passions and her refusal to let others define her shatter the stereotypes that can lead to bullying and discrimination at school. Visit Not In Our School for a video and lesson plan on dissolving stereotypes at school. [5]

Watch the full video of Kathryn’s progress on Upworthy here. [4]

Vancouver Passes Inclusive Policy for Transgender Students

Recently, the school board in Vancouver, Canada amended a decade-old policy on transgender students by adopting what Advocate.com [6] calls “possibly the most trans-inclusive policy passed by any school board in the U.S. or Canada.”

The amended policy allows for greater confidentiality on a transgender student’s birth sex, mandates that transgender students be addressed with their preferred names and pronouns, and allows those students to have access to the bathroom that matches their preferred gender.

The school board’s parent advisory council, the student council, and the board’s health directors came together to support the LGBTQ youth community. Although the dropout and bullying statistics for transgender youth are still staggering, many communities in both the U.S. and Canada are seeking more gender inclusivity and acceptance in schools.

Patti Bacchus, the Vancouver school board chair is hopeful for the new policy, stating, “We want everyone to feel like they are welcome at school and to feel proud of who they are.”

Read the full article from Advocate.com here. [6]