The Problems

Imagine this: you are a high schooler applying to college. You are just as qualified as every other candidate, perhaps even more so. But some of the other applicants have an advantage over you. They happen to be of a minority race.

This scenario is the most cited when it comes to complaints against affirmative action.

I have found that amongst the opponents of affirmative action the major points are that it treats people unfairly and that merit should be the main determining point.

Major opposition to affirmative action can be seen in the viewpoint of colorblindness. They claim that only when race is not considered at all can racism be truly overcome. This viewpoint has some valid points. After all, the more something is thought about, the easier it comes to mind.

An article in the Stanford Alumni magazine looks at some of the issues of affirmative action by examining Stanford’s admission practices. Stanford has been factoring in race when it comes to admissions, hiring, and tenure.  The Hoover Institution, a think tank based at the university, found that racial preferences help minority applicants from middle- and upper-class backgrounds, but hurt poor white applicants and Asians. They suggest that if affirmative action seeks to fix disadvantages, preferences should be given to those that are disadvantaged, not solely those of particular races. I’ll be looking into this solution more next post.

The article continues to argue against the idea that it brings diversity. They say,

“But if "diversity" were really the goal, then preferences would be given on the basis of unusual characteristics, not on the basis of race. The underlying assumption -- that only minorities can add certain ideas or perspectives -- is offensive not merely because it is untrue but also because it implies that all minorities think a certain way.”

And to conclude the article states that when people speak out against using race to skew admissions, they are accused of the racism that justifies the program creating a vicious circle of accusations.

Another major viewpoint is that merit should be the key determining factor when it comes to admission into college. I may be biased coming from a family that truly values hard work (my mother and her family came to America with close to nothing and are now running a very successful garden center), but I see no reason why two applicants of the same merit should be treated differently, regardless of race or gender.

Regardless of the intent of affirmative action, there may be problems with those admitted by such programs.

Recently, researchers are studying a theory known as “mismatch.” The first major report done on the subject was by Richard H. Sander of U.C.L.A. School of Law. Based on students at the college, he concluded that “a student who gains special admission to a more elite school on partly nonacademic grounds is likely to struggle more.” This idea ties in nicely with merit; in order to succeed, you must prove that you are capable.

In the Supreme Court discussion of the University of Texas affirmative action case, the justices have noted some of the problems with the program. Late Justice Antonin Scalia acknowledged the implications of mismatch. Chief Justice John Roberts points out that in the 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger case, affirmative action was given a suggested end date in 25 years.

This ties into the idea that “compensation for past wrongs” may no longer be a valid reason to continue affirmative action. The program was initially established when discrimination was wide spread and for the most part, socially acceptable. The circumstances have changed since then as discrimination has become widely unacceptable. Furthermore, the students from minority backgrounds that are applying to colleges today have never experienced the full force of past discrimination. Some ask, “What are we compensating them for?”

 

The best way to view this is through an example. Say someone rear ended my car in a parking lot. It is only natural that I expect that person to pay for some of the damages. But it is completely unreasonable for me to ask them to pay for issues that my new car experiences.

While the current effectiveness of affirmative action may be disputed, the idea behind the concept isn't too far off. Next post I will be looking at possible changes that can be made.

Note: I feel that more often than not, issues regarding race seem to be touchy subjects. I will be responding to comments, so feel free to leave any questions or have a discussion.