Even if one disagrees with the deontic principle that we should strive for equality, we must also recognize the value that diversity brings. The supreme court’s rulings have supported this view. In the supreme court case, Grutter V. Bollinger, a white student sued the University of Michigan law school because she was denied admission and said it was unfair that the school used race as a factor in decisions. However, the court found that the law school’s use of race was justified because “student body diversity is a compelling state interest in the context of university admissions” (Grutter V. Bollinger, 309). The court recognized that the students of the law school and society as a whole would benefit from there being a more diverse student body. They reached this decision because of “numerous expert studies and reports showing that such diversity promotes learning outcomes and better prepares students for an increasingly diverse workforce, for society, and for the legal profession” (Grutter V. Bollinger, 308.c). There is inherent value of being around of people of different backgrounds, and this is especially true for college aged students who are still forming their identities. Further research has shown that “students’ exposure to other students who are different from themselves and the novel ideas and challenges that such exposure brings leads to improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem-solving” (Stuart Wells). By being exposed to people who think differently than we do, we are able to see problems in a new perspective and thus solve them more effectively. Having diverse classrooms benefits all members, not just minorities

While programs that encourage classroom diversity, such as affirmative action, are beneficial to most, they can still be harmful to some. Some white students may receive worse outcomes because minorities are being accepted over them. One such example is Abigail Fisher, who is a white female that sued the University of Texas at Austin after she was denied admission (Fisher v. University of Texas):

When she was not offered one of these remaining spots, she had a worse outcome than perhaps she would have if race had not been a factor. However, there are multiple reasons why this should not stop the country from encouraging diversity and promoting affirmative action. First, her race most likely did not play a very big role in the decision because of the “47 students that were admitted with grades lower than hers, 42 of them were white” (Ng). Thus, even if race were not a factor she most likely would not have been accepted. Even more, UT- Austin ranks 41.06 points above the national average in terms of ethnic diversity showing that their system to promote diversity is working. The students attending the school have better outcomes than they would if race was not an admissions factor because they are surrounded by a diverse group of people (The University of Texas at Austin Overall Diversity Score).