[英语精听] Day 1 Affirmative action in admissions

this is the Education Report.

这是一份教育报告。

Reaction appears mixed to a recent//容易吞音

关于最近

United States Supreme Court decision

美国最高法院对大学入学肯定行动

on affirmative action in university admissions.

的决定。

Affirmative action in admissions

入学时采取平权行动

means that schools give special consideration

意味着学校将给一些

to some racial or ethnic minorities.

种族或少数民族特别考虑。

and to give more opportunities to groups

并给团体更多的机会，

that are under-represented in higher education.

这在高等教育中还不具代表性。

The Supreme Court ruled that race

最高法院裁定种族

can be one of many factors considered

可以是学生申请大学或大学时

when a student applies to a college or university.

众多考虑的因素中的一个。

The court said education

法院说教育

benefits from having diverse student populations.

得益于具有多样化的学生。

Some legal experts expressed surprise at the decision.

一些法律专家对此决定表示惊讶。

They thought the justices would strike down

他们认为法官会

a 2003 Supreme Court ruling.

驳回2003年最高法院的裁决。

That ruling let universities use race in admissions decisions,

这项裁决让大学在招生决定中考虑种族，

but also said race needs to be just one factor among others.

但也表示种族需要只是其中一个因素。

In the new decision,

在这个新的决定中

the justices did not deal with

法官们没有像

the question of affirmative action itself

许多旁观者所预期的那样

as many observers had expected.

处理该行动本身的问题。

The court did not decide whether the idea

法院没有决定这一想法

violates the right of equal protection under the law,

是否违反了法律规定的平等保护权，

as guaranteed by the constitution.

并受宪法保证。

Instead, the justices sent the case

相反，法官将案件

back to a lower court for further consideration.

送回下级法院进一步审理。

A white woman who had been denied admission

一个白人妇女被拒绝进入德克萨斯大学

to the University of Texas at Austin brought the legal case.

奥斯汀分校引发了一个案件。

Abigail Fisher argued that it was wrong to reject her,

Abigail Fisher认为学校拒绝她，却根据肯定行动

when minority students with similar grades

接收具有相似成绩和考试分数

and test scores were accepted because of affirmative action.

的少数民族学生是错误的。

Wade Henderson is president of the Leadership Conference

Wade Henderson是公民权利

on Civil and Human Rights.

和人权领导会议的主席。

He said the new decision reconfirms that it is an America’s

他说，新的决定证实，

interest to increase opportunities for everyone.

增加每个人的机会是美国的利益。

Justice Clarence Thomas,

Justice Clarence Thomas，

the only African-American on the Supreme Court,

最高法院的唯一的非裔美国人。

voted with the majority but wrote a separate opinion.

投票给了大多数，但写了一个单独的意见。

His opinion strongly attacked affirmative action

他猛烈抨击大学入学中

in college admissions as violating the constitution.

的肯定行为，认为其违反宪法。

He also said that the diversity by itself

他还说

does not have any educational benefit.

多样性本身没有任何教育意义。

Ada Meloy is general counsel for the non-profit American Council on Education.

Ada Meloy是非营利的美国教育委员会的总顾问。

“…that the colleges and universities should have the right

“…高等院校应有权决定

to decide upon who will be admitted to the institution.

谁将被录取入学院。

And those that feel they need to consider race or ethnicity

若他们想要考虑种族或民族，

and make that decision should be able to do so,

那他们能够那么做。

in line with the law that has been proclaimed

根据自1970年代以来

by the Supreme Court since the 1970’s.”

最高法院宣布的法律。”

She said it was not clear how many of the 4,000 or so

她说，不清楚在美国

higher learning institutions in the United States

4000多所高等学校中有多少使用

use those criteria in deciding which student to accept.

这些标准来决定接受哪个学生。

Ms. Meloy said many of the schools do not generally

Meloy女士还说，

give special consideration to their applicants’ race or ethnicity.

许多学校一般不会刻意考虑种族或民族。

And that’s the Education Report from VOA Learning English.

这是来自美国之音英语学习的一份教育报告。

I’m Karen Leggett.

我是Karen Leggett。