For years university administrators have claimed that racial diversity in the classroom promotes learning. And not just for those who are underrepresented or disadvantaged; every student benefits from the interactions that occur in a more diverse cohort. Many business school deans have gone even further: They say participating in discussions and collaborating on projects with students from other backgrounds is a prerequisite for successfully managing a diverse team in the corporate world.
The educational benefit of diversity is more than a mantra, it’s a legal argument schools have used in court to try to preserve racial preferences — the sort ...