Affirmative action is “the practice of improving the educational and job opportunities of members of groups that have not been treated fairly in the past because of their” race or sex (“Affirmative Action”). No one can argue that inequality is evident in today’s society, although there are both intelligent and unintelligent ways of solving it. Affirmative action, for instance, creates a separate scholarship for certain races, which is the definition of a racial barrier. In addition, it breaks governmental laws and negatively impacts both minorities and majorities. Affirmative action’s end goal, diversity in colleges, cannot justify the means that are necessary to achieve it.
First of all, affirmative action is legally wrong. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed to eliminate discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin (The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sec. 202). Affirmative action ignores this by using race as a factor in college applications. This creates discrimination toward the majority group of America on the basis of race. In addition, the Fourteenth Amendment states that no “state [has the right to] deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without [the] due process of law” (U.S. Constitution, Amend. XIV, Sec. 1). By using race as a factor to take away education from some majorities,
…show more content…
affirmative action keeps these individuals from pursuing their careers. In turn, they are unable to make the money that is necessary to obtain property. Affirmative action also fosters racial division. Some citizens might argue that it does the opposite of this, because it gives minorities a better chance to succeed. In reality, a separate scholarship for certain individuals keeps them from becoming a part of society. Because most colleges assume that minority races need more help being admitted than majority races, citizens make the conclusion that minority races are unintelligent. This contributes to many of the stereotypes found throughout America. In short, “the widespread use of large racial preferences could reinforce—not dispel—negative stereotypes about” minorities (Sander & Taylor 268). These stereotypes often contribute toward a low self-esteem, negatively affecting minorities. After completing research on this subject, Camille Charles found that there was a definite difference between the test scores of minorities and majorities (Charles). Charles concluded that affirmative action “appears to lower minority achievement in two ways: Directly, it creates a stigmatizing social context within which black and Latino students find it more difficult to perform. Indirectly, it heightens the [sense of responsibility] experienced by individual minority students” (Charles). Race aside, some minorities are simply unprepared for college in the first place. Because of this, they are put in an uncomfortable situation, which creates failure. In order to solve this problem, America must focus more on preparing children in the minority for the future rather than forcing them into a college. Alan Contreras explains that today’s “society is wasting 6-year-olds by the hundreds of thousands because they are dark-skinned or simply poor. [Individuals] turn aside from the needs of 12-year-olds who might read books if they had books, and who might want to go to school if they had schools worth going to” (Contreras). After this problem is solved, there will be no need for affirmative action. Minorities and majorities will have an equal opportunity to develop themselves as students and gain admission into colleges. Although affirmative action might increase certain races’ chances of being accepted into college, it decreases their chances of becoming successful students. Affirmative action not only affects minorities, but it also affects majorities.
Majorities are not simply given admission to colleges. They must work just as hard as minorities to develop as students and prepare themselves for the future. Sometimes, they are not accepted into college simply because they are a majority race, even if they are more qualified than a minority student who is accepted. Race should not be used as a factor in applications, because “students—minority or otherwise—do not automatically benefit from attending a school that they enter with academic qualifications well below the median level of their classmates”
(Slater). Lastly, colleges use affirmative action to create diversity rather than the original goal, which was to create a better opportunity for minorities to succeed. For instance, Abigail Fisher filed suit against the University of Texas for using race as a factor in applications, because she argued that it was against the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (“Fisher v. University of Texas”). The Supreme Court decided that it did not go against the Fourteenth Amendment merely because diversity was considered to be a compelling governmental interest (“Fisher v. University of Texas”). While the original goal of affirmative action worked to solve the problem of inequality in America, the current goal simply throws different individuals together. In closing, the negative effects of affirmative action far outweigh the end goal of diversity in colleges. No progress is made to address inequality, and affirmative action creates another division between citizens. In addition, governmental laws are broken. America must find a way to knock down the racial barrier without these side effects. It will not be simple, and it is crucial to remember that the means need to be carefully planned out. Regardless of the end, they generally play the deciding factor in whether a plan of action will be acceptable.
I believe that this idea is immoral; I don’t believe affirmative action harms minorities, and I don’t believe people should be accepted to college for the reason of being black, but instead should be a fair process for both whites and blacks.
Discrimination is still a chronic global issue, and drastic inequalities still exist at the present time. Thus, the Affirmative Action Law is an important tool to many minorities most especially to women, and people of color, for the reason that this program provides an equality on educational, and professional opportunities for every qualified individual living in the United States. Without this program, a higher education would have been impossible for a “minority students” to attain. Additionally, without the Affirmative Action, a fair opportunity to have a higher-level career...
The institution of public education has been one of the most controversial establishments in the United States since its inception. More specifically, equality in the conditions and the opportunities it provides has been sought as one of its major goals. There is little doubt that minority ethnic groups have struggled to achieve educational equality, just as they have struggled for equality in other aspects of life. One way that minorities have tried to achieve equality in education is through lobbying for help in college admissions for their respective groups. This social practice has been debated on many grounds, including necessity and ethical permissibility.
Minorities are a growing segment of the population. However, this group continues to be underrepresented in the area of post secondary education. Obtaining an advanced degree remains a likely predictor of future career success. The problem facing the minority student is that barriers persist which continue to hinder enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in institutions of higher education. These barriers must be identified and examined and solutions offered if college completion rates are to be increased for this population.
African- American males have been underrepresented among college students and degree earners for years, however the reason for this is often misconstrued. The percentages of white high school graduates “In 1998-2000 had jumped to 46. However, only 40 percent of African-Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics in the same age group were attending college” (McGlynn, Angela Proviteira). The question then to pose, is why minority students are not succeeding in college compared to Caucasian students, “Only 47% of Black male students graduated on time
Imagine, your walking down the street looking for a job. You see a sign in the window that says, “Whites encouraged to apply.” Imagine the period in time when just being white got you into a college, without any other considerations of grades or athletic ability. Those were the days of the Jim Crow laws. Now these instances have happened in the past 20 years, through new laws called Affirmative Action. The big argument is over these few years of affirmative action. Have they alleviated the pain of the Jim Crow laws? The answer to that question is no. Especially, in the case of the University of Michigan‘s use of Affirmative Action in the acceptance of students. Using race as a factor of admission is wrong and is reverse discrimination.
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, affirmative action is “an active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and women.” However, despite its well-intentioned policies, it has been the source of much controversy over the years. Barbara Scott and Mary Ann Schwartz mention that “proponents of affirmative action argue that given that racism and discrimination are systemic problems, their solutions require institutional remedies such as those offered by affirmative action legislation” (298). Also, even though racism is no longer direct, indirect forms still exist in society and affirmative action helps direct. On the other hand, opponents to affirm...
Racial preference has indisputably favored Caucasian males in society. Recently this dynamic has been debated in all aspects of life, including college admission. Racial bias has intruded on the students’ rights to being treated fairly. Admitting students on merit puts the best individuals into the professional environment. A university’s unprejudiced attitude towards race in applicants eliminates biases, empowers universities to harness the full potential of students’ intellect, and gives students an equal chance at admission.
Affirmative action was created to allow minorities to have more opportunities in the workforce and in education. It still remains to be a debate whether affirmative action should be a necessary route even though we have made progress towards greater equality. The argument over Affirmative action has been going on for some time with two opposing sides. There is one side who finds Affirmative action as an opportunity to the less fortunate; those who are against have the belief that it promotes less qualified individuals rather than a person own merit.
Today there is considerable disagreement in the country over Affirmative Action with the American people. MSNBC reported a record low in support for Affirmative Action with 45% in support and 45% opposing (Muller, 2013). The affirmative action programs have afforded all genders and races, exempting white males, a sense of optimism and an avenue to get the opportunities they normally would not be eligible for. This advantage includes admission in colleges or hiring preferences with public and private jobs; although Affirmative Action has never required quotas the government has initiated a benefits program for the schools and companies that elect to be diversified. The advantages that are received by the minorities’ only take into account skin color, gender, disability, etc., are what is recognized as discriminatory factors. What is viewed as racism to the majority is that there ar...
This indicates the fear and doubt affirmative action creates for minority groups. Acceptance into college is an earned privilege, a privilege that one has to work for his or her entire childhood to achieve. Schoolwork, homework, sacrifices; children do these things since they are little to assure their acceptance into a college. It is a rite of passage that society looks forward to. Yet, affirmative action can be taken as a condescension and insult to those people by implying that minorities cannot achieve their goals through hard work and ability. Moreover, instead of trying to strive for the best possibility, affirmative action allows African Americans to use the injustices, which is slavery, as an excuse as to why they cannot be successful today.
The discrimination against Caucasian and Asian American students a long with the toleration of lower quality work produced by African American students and other minority students is an example of the problems caused by Affirmative Action. Although affirmative action intends to do good, lowering the standards by which certain racial groups are admitted to college is not the way to solve the problem of diversity in America's universities. The condition of America's public schools is directly responsible for the poor academic achievement of minority children. Instead of addressing educational discrepancies caused by poverty and discrimination, we are merely covering them up and pretending they do not exist, and allowing ourselves to avoid what it takes to make a d... ... middle of paper ... ...
A black student has been waiting for that letter of acceptance from the college of her choice. She receives that letter and gets in. At the same time a female white student is also waiting for her letter of acceptance from that same college. The white student receives a rejection letter even though she had higher test scores and a better GPA than the black student. Was this fair to the students? Was it the best outcome for the country in the long run? Many minority students are accepted into colleges and law schools due to their race while at the same time white students are rejected because colleges have to make room for these minorities. The question many colleges are facing now is whether race should be considered in college admissions. Is affirmative action necessary anymore and is it fair to all students? What is its long-term impact on American and world society? Liberals say, “Yes affirmative action is a fair path and a path that still needs to be taken if our society is going to move forward.” Conservatives argue that affirmative action is reverse discrimination against white students and that widespread use of affirmative action in colleges is creating an un-level playing field.
Every year at the same time, thousands of students face the same difficult decision: What college should I attend? Consider two young men both of the highest intellectual capacity and deserving of admission into the nation's most prestigious institution. Steven, high school All American, student body President, and leader of the debate team, hopes to be admitted to the university of his dreams. Christopher, most valuable player in the high school division and aspiring NBA athlete, wants to attend college with students of the same caliber. Steven's parents are both successful neurosurgeons at the local hospital planning to see to it that their son is awarded recognition for his efforts. Christopher's mother, unemployed and unable to care for her family, is optimistic that her son will succeed regardless. Now, the university has a tough decision to make. Christopher receives his letter, thanking him for applying but denying his admission, encouraging him to apply at a later date. After all, Christopher is white and, according to Affirmative Action, Steven is more deserving of admission based on his ethnicity which "increases the diversity of the institution by allowing students of different races and cultures the same opportunities."(1) But does it?
I believe that colleges and Universities should be able to use low-level affirmative action when deciding whether to accept a student. I believe this because affirmative action when limited can create a more diverse college demographic in our country, which can be largely beneficial to minorities as well as non-minorities.