Why 65 Asian-American advocacy groups are suing Harvard for discrimination

A coalition of advocacy organizations are accusing Harvard University of discriminating against Asian-American students.

In a 50-page complaint, 65 groups —including the Asian American Legal Foundation, the Chinese American Equalization Association and United Asian Americans for Activism — ask the Education and Justice Departments to investigate what they say are examples of Asian-American students being “unfairly rejected” from the school because of their race.

The specifics? Here are five claims from the report:

Claim #1: Asian-American students must outscore other students to gain admission to elite universities.

Claim #2: Asian-American students are unfairly stereotyped as quiet and shy.

Claim #3: And told they all “look the same on paper.”

Claim #4: Asian-American children face stress, even a sense that they’ve done something wrong, because they are often advised to withhold their race when applying.

Claim #5: Race-based admissions hurt poor students, who are the “ones who truly need help.”

Harvard has denied any wrongdoing, saying a statement that it will “vigorously defend the right” to create a diverse class.

Emily DeRuy is a Washington, D.C.-based associate editor, covering education, reproductive rights, and inequality. A San Francisco native, she enjoys Giants baseball and misses Philz terribly.