Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to affirmative action at Harvard, University of North Carolina

Washington — The Supreme Court will consider a pair of cases involving the use of race in admissions processes at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, it said Monday.

With their decision to take up the bids brought by students who applied to the schools, members of the organization Students for Fair Admissions, the justices will reconsider the issue of affirmative action. 

It's unclear when the court will hear arguments in the legal fights, but the cases join other politically charged court battles over abortion and the Second Amendment that are currently under consideration by the justices.