AFFIRMATIVE ACTION programs that use race as a factor in college admissions were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court (Shutterstock).

“Affirmative action” programs that use race as a factor in admission to colleges and universities are unconstitutional, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.

The court ruled 6-3 against such policies, with the conservative majority prevailing, according to The New York Times.

The majority opinion was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, regarding the “race-conscious” policies of Harvard and the University of North Carolina “cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of the equal protection” clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The issue of promoting diversity in college student bodies must go to a different approach now, according to the Associated Press, which otherwise might see a decrease in the number of Black and Hispanic students.

Most quickly affected will be high school students approaching their senior year. Alternatives to affirmative action based on race include recruiting more low-income students or admitting the top students from each high school in a state.

Biden offers a diversity plan

President Joe Biden on Thursday criticized the high court’s decision on affirmative action, saying “Discrimination still exists in America. Today’s decision does not change that.”

According to United Press International, Biden proposed that universities take into account the financial means of a student or the student’s family, the student’s background and experiences of hardship or discrimination.

Parkland deputy found ‘not guilty’

SCOT PETERSON outside during 2018 Parkland massacre.

The school resource officer whose inaction during the killing of 17 people at a high school in Florida in 2018 prompted outrage and his dismissal was acquitted Thursday of charges of felony child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury.

According to USA Today, Scot Peterson was exonerated of all the charges on the grounds that he was “not the children’s caregiver,” and that it was difficult to know where the shots were coming from.

Nikolas Cruz killed 14 students and three staff members and is serving a life prison sentence.

Dodgers bomb Denver; Halos kicked by Sox

A six-run outburst by the Chicago White Sox in the third inning propelled the visitors to a 9-7 win over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim on Thursday. The Halos outhit the Chisox 11-9 and hit four home runs – one by MLB leader Shohei Ohtani – but it wasn’t enough.

The Angels are now 44-39 (third place in the AL West) and are in a mini-slump, having lost three of their last five games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers crushed the Colorado Rockies 14-3 in Denver Thursday night, blowing the game open with a six-run fourth inning.  J.D Martinez led the 18-hit-parade, batting 4-for-6 with four RBIs, two runs scored and his 19th home run of the season. Mookie Betts was 2-for-2 with two doubles and a walk. He scored three runs.

Emmet Sheehan (2-0) got the win, working five innings, yielding seven hits and three earned runs. He struck out five Rockies and walked none.

With the win the Dodgers are 45-35, good for second place in the National League West, two games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Weather: The big warmup …

Summer – if not endlessly sunny skies – is here in our West Orange County area. The forecast is for a daytime high of 79 degrees and an overnight low of 62 on Friday with morning clouds and afternoon sun. Saturday is partly cloudy with a high of 81 (62), and similar on Sunday but with a high of 86 (63). Sunny skies will arrive on Monday with a high of 82 (62). The Fourth of July will be cooler at 80 (60) and partly cloudy.