AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS RACE BASED PREFERENCE
One of the most controversial topics in higher education concerns affirmative action. It has been a subject of endless debates among those who are pro affirmative action or against it. Citing the positive and negative effects of this policy. But what is affirmative action? The term affirmative action means ensuring opportunities and access in areas of education and employment to minority groups and or disadvantaged race. This term was first introduced by then President
Kennedy in 1961 to address the discrimination and to extend job opportunities to the minorities particularly the African Americans. In 1964 college and university admissions adapted the policy
Sercado 2 and in 1971 it was extended …show more content…
Because not all members of the minorities need help and want help from the policy. I know that Affirmative Action opens doors for minority groups or disadvantaged race to attend schools and universities but it does not help them to acquire these accomplishments on their own. The initial purpose of affirmative action is to help the disadvantaged race, but it turns out to be helping the wrong kids. In a data gathered in 2004, 86% of African Americans in schools and universities are from middle and upper-class families who never experienced discrimination but are accepted because of race. How about the white students who live in in a lower-class neighborhood who do well in school but they are passed up in admissions because there are not enough spaces for them and obviously because of the color of their skin. This is clear reverse discrimination. And it is insulting and undermining the capabilities of the minorities. It is wrong to imply that you cannot apply the same standards of admissions to the African Americans, Hispanics as you do with White Americans because the minorities would not be able to meet these standards. In a study made by a top law school, fifty percent of African American law students were in the bottom ten percent of their high school class and most of them were admitted because of the affirmative action policy. A good example is Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court judge and a known critic of Affirmative Action. Thomas said, “We play to stereotypes, instead of treating people as individuals.” Thomas was a product of affirmative action was accepted to Yale University but had difficulties finding a job after graduation. His success then was attributed only to affirmative action.
One of the most controversial topics in higher education concerns affirmative action. It has been a subject of endless debates among those who are pro affirmative action or against it. Citing the positive and negative effects of this policy. But what is affirmative action? The term affirmative action means ensuring opportunities and access in areas of education and employment to minority groups and or disadvantaged race. This term was first introduced by then President
Kennedy in 1961 to address the discrimination and to extend job opportunities to the minorities particularly the African Americans. In 1964 college and university admissions adapted the policy
Sercado 2 and in 1971 it was extended …show more content…
Because not all members of the minorities need help and want help from the policy. I know that Affirmative Action opens doors for minority groups or disadvantaged race to attend schools and universities but it does not help them to acquire these accomplishments on their own. The initial purpose of affirmative action is to help the disadvantaged race, but it turns out to be helping the wrong kids. In a data gathered in 2004, 86% of African Americans in schools and universities are from middle and upper-class families who never experienced discrimination but are accepted because of race. How about the white students who live in in a lower-class neighborhood who do well in school but they are passed up in admissions because there are not enough spaces for them and obviously because of the color of their skin. This is clear reverse discrimination. And it is insulting and undermining the capabilities of the minorities. It is wrong to imply that you cannot apply the same standards of admissions to the African Americans, Hispanics as you do with White Americans because the minorities would not be able to meet these standards. In a study made by a top law school, fifty percent of African American law students were in the bottom ten percent of their high school class and most of them were admitted because of the affirmative action policy. A good example is Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court judge and a known critic of Affirmative Action. Thomas said, “We play to stereotypes, instead of treating people as individuals.” Thomas was a product of affirmative action was accepted to Yale University but had difficulties finding a job after graduation. His success then was attributed only to affirmative action.