On January 26, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement from the Supreme Court, leaving President Biden with the task of nominating a successor. Biden has announced his nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, fulfilling his promise to nominate an African-American woman.
Republicans immediately responded that the nominee should be chosen based on qualifications and not race. That being said, it is important to note that Jackson is a graduate of Harvard Law School, and has over nine years experience as a federal
judge, appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by then-president Barack Obama in 2013. She has worked in law since 1996.
“Even if Biden wants an African-American woman, I think the most qualified person should be the one that gets elected onto the Supreme Court, but I’m all for diversity in the Supreme Court,” said Xander Simmons, a sophomore.
The current Supreme Court consists of nine justices, including six men and three women. Clarence Thomas, appointed October 23, 1991, is the only black man in the Supreme Court. A new addition to the Supreme Court will be vital, as the court thrives off of diversity among the justices on both a political and a personal level.
“Nominating a supreme court justice because she is black and a woman is a good idea because we have never had a black woman on the supreme court. This brings a new perspective to the court and it is a perspective that has been missing on the court,” said Angela Thomas, a government teacher.
The most recent justice to be appointed to the Supreme Court was Amy Coney Barrett, who was appointed by President Trump on October 27, 2020. Democrats objected to her nomination because of her previous opposition to abortion legislation in the past. There is no term limit for Supreme Court Justices, so many Justices serve until they die or until they retire.
Breyer, now 83 years old, has served in the Supreme Court since 1994, nominated by then-president Bill Clinton. Breyer made decisions on several important subjects, notably on airline deregulation. He was associated with the more left-leaning wing of the Supreme Court, dissenting on cases over hot topic issues like abortion and lethal injection.
“Bryer was one of the more moderate candidates on the supreme court, if Jackson does end up replacing him, she would make a faithful successor,” said Thomas.
While Jackson still has to make it through the confirmation vote, her nomination alone has been a first for America