The Trump administration announced last week that it would not urge schools to consider race in the admissions process. The administration withdrew official guidance meant to increase student diversity at schools across the United States. That guidance was developed during the presidency of Barack Obama.

The move gives schools and colleges the federal government’s permission to leave race out of admissions decisions. It is evidence of the politics that have long surrounded affirmative action policies. Those policies have repeatedly been at the center of cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Obama administration guidance was among 24 policy documents withdrawn by the Justice Department for being “unnecessary, outdated,” or not meeting existing law. Attorney General Jeff Sessions described the changes as an effort to re-establish the “rule of law.”

Yet civil rights groups criticized the move and some university officials said they plan to continue their diversity efforts as before.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”