Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is under fire for suggesting that black students should go to "a slower-track school where they do well" rather than a highly selective college during the arguments of an Affirmative Action case.

Scalia made the controversial remarks Wednesday while he was addressing attorney Gregory G. Garre, who is defending the University of Texas at Austin's affirmative action policy in Fisher v. University of Texas.

"I'm just not impressed by the fact that the University of Texas may have fewer [African-Americans]," Scalia said, according to CNN. "Maybe it ought to have fewer. And maybe some -- you know, when you take more, the number of blacks, really competent blacks, admitted to lesser schools, turns out to be less."

The provocative justice went on to say, "There are those who contend that it does not benefit African-Americans to get them into the University of Texas where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less-advanced school, a less -- a slower-track school where they do well. One of the briefs pointed out that most of the black scientists in this country don't come from schools like the University of Texas."

In response, congressman and civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, condemned Scalia for questioning the intelligence level of black students.

"Justice Scalia's evident bias is very troubling to me. It leads me to question his ability to make impartial judgments in this case," said Lewis.

"His suggestion that African-Americans would fare better at schools that are 'less advanced' or on a 'slow-track' remind me of the kind of prejudice that led to separate and unequal school systems -- a policy the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional decades ago," Lewis added.

Likewise, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, called Scalia's comments as "racist" and "disturbing" while speaking on the Senate floor.

"I don't know about his intent, but it is deeply disturbing to hear a Supreme Court justice endorse racist ideas from the bench on the nation's highest court. His endorsement of racist theories has frightening ramifications, not the least of which is to undermine the academic achievements of Americans, African-Americans especially," said Reid.

Meanwhile, Janai Nelson, an associate director-counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said she was shocked when she heard Scalia's statements in the courtroom. According to her, his comments were "laden with racial prejudice" and based on concepts perpetuated by white supremacy that African Americans are somehow racially inferior, reports The Los Angeles Times.