A class-based system would help eliminate the race factor that goes along with the current affirmative action. In addition, it would diminish the perception that minorities are given unearned admission. I too agree with this change, as many of my friends believe that I have received the scholarships I have and gained entry into certain schools simply because of my race. If this change in the current affirmative action mandate were to take place it would alter their beliefs and they would realize that not only did I deserve those scholarships but I also needed them. The University of Texas has made way in class-based affirmative action by creating a non-race based affirmative action model known as the Top Ten Model. This model guarantees that every Texas student who graduates in the top ten percent of their high school class will receive admission to the university. Many have argued that this still leaves out specific majors and classes that are not diversified and minority students with higher test scores that are not in the top ten percent. The courts ruled against the plaintiffs’ argument and the model still stands in place today. Many people believe that affirmative action is hurtful to minorities and women as it tells them the only way they can succeed is through the policy’s help. Although this may be true in some cases, studies and review cases have said otherwise. Affirmative action actually raises self-esteem as it provides them with the opportunity to advance in academic and employment opportunities. In fact, many big named corporations such as, AT&T, IBM and Sears have increased minority employment since they began using affirmative action. I do not think anyone would be upset with the chance to get ahead in life. We ha... ... middle of paper ... ...rmative Action And Higher Education." San Diego Law Review 50.2 (2013): 441-467. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. Oh, Euna, et al. "Beliefs About Affirmative Action: A Test Of The Group Self-Interest And Racism Beliefs Models." Journal Of Diversity In Higher Education 3.3 (2010): 163-176. PsycARTICLES. Web. 30 Mar. 2014. Burns, Prue, and Jan Schapper. "The Ethical Case For Affirmative Action." Journal Of Business Ethics 83.3 (2008): 369-379. Business Source Complete. Web. 4 May 2014. Allen, Anita. "Was I Entitled Or Should I Apologize? Affirmative Action Going Forward." Journal Of Ethics 15.3 (2011): 253-263. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 May 2014. Fairlie, Robert, and Justin Marion. "Affirmative Action Programs And Business Ownership Among Minorities And Women." Small Business Economics 39.2 (2012): 319-339. Business Source Complete. Web. 4 May 2014.
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...
Awad, Germine H., Kevin Cokley, and Joseph Ravitch. "Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action: A Comparison Of Color-Blind Versus Modern Racist Attitudes." Journal Of Applied Social Psychology 35.7 (2005): 1384-1399. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
majority, does not advance the cause of minorities in a meaningful way, and needs to be
Affirmative action, the act of giving preference to an individual for hiring or academic admission based on the race and/or gender of the individual has remained a controversial issue since its inception decades ago. Realizing its past mistake of discriminating against African Americans, women, and other minority groups; the state has legalized and demanded institutions to practice what many has now consider as reverse discrimination. “Victims” of reverse discrimination in college admissions have commonly complained that they were unfairly rejected admission due to their race. They claimed that because colleges wanted to promote diversity, the colleges will often prefer to accept applicants of another race who had significantly lower test scores and merit than the “victims”. In “Discrimination and Disidentification: The Fair-Start Defense of Affirmative Action”, Kenneth Himma responded to these criticisms by proposing to limit affirmative action to actions that negate unfair competitive advantages of white males established by institutions (Himma 277 L. Col.). Himma’s views were quickly challenged by his peers as Lisa Newton stated in “A Fair Defense of a False Start: A Reply to Kenneth Himma” that among other rationales, the Fair-Start Defense based on race and gender is a faulty justification for affirmative action (Newton 146 L. Col.). This paper will also argue that the Fair-Start Defense based on race and gender is a faulty justification for affirmative action because it cannot be fairly applied in the United States of America today. However, affirmative action should still be allowed and reserved for individuals whom the state unfairly discriminates today.
More importantly, Mr. Watulak mentions that "affirmative action has some rather unpleasant racist assumptions hiding behind it. The clear implication that minorities could not adequately get ahead without special considerations seems just a touch bigoted." I agree with this because even though affirmative action looks like a positive policy for minorities, it may have a lot of negative consequences as well. It can be true that it has increased job opportunities for minorities but the question is whether it has done so for correct reasons. For example, when a minority gets a high position in a corporation, the other employers may think about why this person received this position.
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...
Sacks, David, and Peter Thiel. "The Case Against Affirmative Action." Stanford Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2014.
Works Cited Page Affirmative Action: Part 1 Enforcing Equality, " An Affirmative Action Primer", The Virginia Pilot. 1995. Pilot Online. 12, September 1998. Heilman, Madeline. Study: Affirmative Action Hires Abilities Doubted @. Money Magazine, Aug. 31, 1992, 3B. Kahlenberg, Richard D. The Remedy. New York; BasicBooks, 1996. M., Marsha. "Untitled". Tidewater Community College. November, 1998. Roberts, Paul Craig., and Lawrence M. Stratton. The New Color Line. Washington, DC; Regnery Publishing, 1995.
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...
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 ... ...
Howell, J. (2010). Assessing the impact of eliminating affirmative action in higher education. Journal of Labor Economics, 28(1), 113–166.
Although the roots of affirmative action in the United States date back to the nineteenth century, more recent affirmative action programs were initiated under the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. To help rectify the historical inequalities suffered by women and minorities, John F. Kennedy passed Executive Order 10925 and Executive Order 11246 which required government contractors to take “affirmative action” in the hiring of more minorities (African Americans and women) and ending workplace discrimination, according to historian Stephen Cahn. A decade later, the Nixon presidency piggybacked JFK’s footsteps and mandated all government contractors to create a printed affirmative action plan within the workplace. Many companies now emplo...
Affirmative action policies were created to help level the playing field in American society. Supporters claim that these plans eliminate economic and social disparities to minorities, yet in doing so, they’ve only created more inequalities. Whites and Asians in poverty receive little to none of the opportunities provided to minorities of the same economic background (Messerli). The burden of equity has been placed upon those who were not fortunate enough to meet a certain school’s idea of “diversity” (Andre, Velasquez, and Mazur). The sole reason for a college’s selectivity is to determine whether or not a student has the credentials to attend that school....
...hat happens when we level the playing field? “No school that has scrapped its affirmative action program has seen minority enrollment return fully to affirmative action levels” (Kranz 26). The ultimate goal is to see minorities represent their population in education and in the work force, and at this point, to attain that goal, it is more ethical to retain the policy of affirmative action than to eliminate it. In the words of Peter Singer, “In the absence of more promising alternatives it seems worth a try” (51).
As with any political topic, there are those who oppose affirmative action. Some of them argue that people should be chosen based on merit and not by race or gender. (www.civil-rights.lawyers.com) In response to this, I would encourage those who use this argument to re-evaluate the true definition of affirmative action. The policies call for all who are qualified to have an equal chance, the key part of this being qualified, affirmative action is not in place to give any individual a “free ride.”