The University of Michigan Should NOT Use Affirmative Action

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The University of Michigan Should NOT Use Affirmative Action

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.

Jennifer Gratz, Patrick Hamacher, and Barber Grutter have filed lawsuits against the University of Michigan for being denied admission based on their race. Hamacher had a “GPA of slightly under 3.4 and an ACT score of 28” (Kosseff). Gratz, who attended Southgate High School, had a GPA of 3.765 and ACT score of 25, said she hopes to change an admissions system that she believes is flawed” (Kosseff). Grutter, who tried to gain admission to the University of Michigan law school, maintained a straight-A average through college. She did this all in spite having two children and working nights to support them. All of them witnessed students with much lower credentials get accepted because they were minorities.

“The university is unapologetic about its use of race in admissions. According to Michigan's president, Lee Bollinger, it's the right thing to do” (Bradley). Lee Bolinger says :

The basic idea is that students learn better when they're in an environment in which not everyone is just like them. And we take into account a host of factors. Race and ethnicity are two, but there are many others. The question of bigness or smallness of the--of the factor is not the way to look at it. The--the question is: How much do you value diversity as an educational tool for your students? (Bradley)

This maybe a noble idea, but the system to get to this idea of diversity is evil and wrong.

Carl Cohen is the professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan and has been since 1955. He is old enough to remember the discriminatory practices at certain schools set ...

... middle of paper ...

... person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” (Lowery). The university is going against this amendment all the way in their admission policies. Admitting a student who is less qualified just because they are a minority is wrong. The University of Michigan is racist and should accept the students with the best grades and ACT scores no matter what race they are.

Works Cited

Bradley, Ed. Interview. Professor Cohen . CBS. 60 Minutes. 29 Oct. 2000.

.

Chavez, Linda. “Is Racial Preference Unfair?” 19 June 2000. The Affiramtive Action

And Diversity Project . 14 Dec. 2000. 16 Feb. 2002.

Kosseff, Jeffrey. “Firm files lawsuit challenging University’s admission policies.”

The Michigan Daily. 14 Oct 1997. 16 Feb. 2002
Daily/1997/oct/10-14-97/news/extra.html>.

Lowry, Richard. “Quota U – Ann Arbor shows its colors.” National Review 19 March

2001. Find Articles.com. Gale Group. 16 Feb. 2002

.

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