Minorities oppose Republican Texas bill that would kill college entry law, saying it ensures access

Black and Hispanic leaders have linked forces to oppose a Republican-sponsored Texas Senate bill that would revoke the controversial top 10 percent automatic admission law for state universities. At a Monday press conference, officials of the NAACP Houston Chapter and the League of United Latin American Citizens said the admission law is being legislatively attacked because it ensures that bright minority students have equal access to higher education. "The 10 percent law is doing exactly what it is supposed to do," said U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, and president emeritus of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "We cannot allow ourselves to take a step backward." The top 10 percent law was enacted after a 1996 U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision made affirmative action illegal in Texas public universities. Last year, a U.S. Supreme Court disagreed, saying race could be used as a factor in admissions for public universities. University of Texas at Austin officials since have said they will consider race in admissions. Texas A&M officials say they will not. Two weeks ago, Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, filed a bill that would eliminate the 10 percent rule, saying it forces some students to take a lighter high school course load or transfer to a different school. Rep. Tony Goolsby, R-Dallas, has filed a bill that would reduce the enrollment requirement to the top 5 percent. A third Republican-sponsored bill would allow UT and A&M officials to choose which campus to enroll a top 10 percent student. The Senate sponsors all say the current law punishes students who take tough classes at tougher schools. Minority leaders disagree, saying the law ensures equal access to the state's best schools. "These proposed laws would bring back the good ol' boy system of subjectivity in choosing who gets into our top colleges and universities," said NAACP Houston Executive Director Yolanda Smith. [more]