NBA legend Charles Barkley has made a particular amendment to his will after the Supreme Court decided to outlaw affirmative action in college admissions. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court rejected using race as a factor in college admissions, saying it violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.
Due to this decision, which angered many, Barkley said he would leave $5 million to Auburn, his alma mater, in hopes that the school remains diverse. According to AL.com, Barkley said, “In my will, I am leaving Auburn $5 million. I’m going to change it to be just for scholarships for Black students. That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse.” He added, “I love Auburn. I’ve actually changed it to be used for kids from poor homes. But after that ruling, my phone was blowing up. I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn. So, I’m going to change my will and make it exclusive for Black students—all $5 million.’ It’s just for me the right thing to do. I always want to make sure that Auburn’s diverse.”
Barkley isn’t the only one upset with the Supreme Court decision. President Biden also gave his opinion on the matter, saying, “In case after case, including recently, just a few years ago in 2016, the court has affirmed and reaffirmed this view that colleges could use race, not as a determining factor for admission, but as one of the factors among many in deciding who to admit. The court once again walked away from decades of precedent.”
The NAACP also described the ruling as “hate-inspired,” calling it a “dark day in America.” In a statement, NAACP President Derrick Johnson wrote, “Today, the Supreme Court has bowed to the personally held beliefs of an extremist minority. We will not allow hate-inspired people in power to turn back the clock and undermine our hard-won victories. The tricks of America’s dark past will not be tolerated.”
The statement continued, “Let me be clear – affirmative action exists because we cannot rely on colleges, universities and employers to enact admissions and hiring practices that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of life for Black Americans. In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality. The NAACP will not be deterred nor silenced in our fight to hold leaders and institutions accountable for their role in embracing diversity no matter what.”
This wasn’t the Supreme Court’s only ruling regarding education, as they rejected Biden’s student debt handout this past week. After this Supreme Court ruling, Charles Barkley made one small change to ensure that future Black students who want to go to Auburn will be able to do so. It exemplifies how one small change can make a huge difference and that there’s nothing wrong with trying to help future generations.