The Supreme Court has upheld Michigan’s ban on affirmative action at state colleges and universities. The case centers on a 2006 voter referendum in Michigan that barred race and sex-based preferences in admissions. An appeals court previously ruled the ban violates the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. But in a 6-to-2 decision, the Supreme Court overruled the lower court. The ruling will likely bolster similar anti-affirmative action measures in several other states. In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union said: “This case is ultimately about whether students of color are allowed to compete on the same playing field as all other students. Today, the Supreme Court said they are not.”