Case Study of Affirmative Action

Our book defines affirmative action as a term that refers to programs designed to ensure that women, minorities, and other traditionally disadvantaged groups have full and equal opportunities in employment, education, and other areas of life. Affirmative action was implemented to reduce discrimination practices based on race, gender and ethnic background. Most Americans feel that there is a need for affirmative action but there are also those Americans that feel that it will discriminate against white males and those best qualified for a particular job, school or other area of interest.

One advantage of affirmative action is that it helps those groups or persons that are at a disadvantage due to race, gender or ethnic background have a fair chance when applying for a job or admission to a university or college. Using a quota or preference system ensures that there will be some minorities hired in the workplace, including management positions and admissions to universities or colleges. Minorities refer to women, blacks, Hispanics and any other group of people that are at a disadvantage. Another advantage is that the federal government gives an automatic ten percent to contracts given to minority groups as long as the group is not hired based on past discrimination. Through hiring and school admissions it allows a minority person or group to better themselves socially and economically and have something to offer and help encourage that particular minority group. An example to illustrate my thought is a Hispanic woman who has potential but her financial situation does not afford her the means to pay tuition. She is accepted into college based on her ethnic background race and gender. She graduates with a BS in Education and then gains employment at a school in her neighborhood. She is the role model for other Hispanic children to do well in school and get an education to go further in life. If not for that quota there would have been no other way for that Hispanic woman to get into college.

On the other hand, affirmative action can hinder those that are the best qualified or those able to meet the necessary requirements. It can bring down performance in the workplace because the best applicant may not get hired because a quota of minorities must be met first. Another reason is that it can give rise to reverse discrimination, and it is especially alarming to white males since traditionally they dominated the workplace including management positions.