Essay on Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action has become one of the most controversial issues regarding college admissions. It is an issue that exposes profiling to its highest extent. Race, gender and income now become vital factors in education opportunities. Affirmative Action is the procedure that is used as a criteria in admissions that will increase the points a college applicant receives on their application evaluation based on the previous factors. Whether race should be considered in the admission of a college applicant, is without a doubt a must in all states. Affirmative Action definitely will improve the opportunities of a minority student applying at a university but it will not be the deciding factor. When

Affirmative action is a policy or a program that seeks to redress past discrimination of minorities through active measures in order to ensure equal opportunity, as in education and employment. In other words, it is policy that was established to hopefully eliminate racial preference and equalize the United States. The fight against discrimination has been a long lasting one that started with the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson, which ended in the desegregation of all schools (Ficker). Affirmative action was put into place in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Executive Order that mandated government contractors to “take affirmative action” in all aspects of hiring and employing minorities (Brunner). Upon its arrival, the policy

Supporters of affirmative action also argue affirmative action helps to diversify jobs and schools. Although the program does bring some minorities into jobs and schools, there is a price to pay for it. Whites are not allowed into those places because they need to "diversify" the schools and workplaces. In order for diversification to happen everyone should be able to be accepted instead of taking in the minorities and

Affirmative Action is one of the many social issues facing America today. Affirmative action was signed into place in 1961 by President Kennedy and allows minority groups or people who face discrimination to become employed or get an education that is equal to that of a white male. Groups that Affirmative Action aims to help are women, blacks, Latinos, and people with disabilities. While these policies were signed to slowly rid the workforce and schools from discrimination, it hurts people who do not face discrimination, specifically whites. Many white men and women lose special opportunities to work or go to college because of certain standards that the Affirmative Action laws require. Universities and the military require a certain number of minorities in order to meet the standards and have a more diverse atmosphere. An example of this is the California V. Bakke supreme court case of 1978.

According to Newman, affirmative action is a “program designed to seek out members of minority groups for positions from which they had previously been excluded, thereby seeking to overcome some institutional racism” (Newman, 536). Affirmative action made its debut with a piece of legislature passed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and continues to this day. However, the concept of affirmative action is a controversial issue that continues to be hotly debated.

Affirmative Action is any effort taken to expand opportunity for women or racial, ethnic and national origin minorities by using membership in those groups that have been subject to discrimination as a consideration. The Fourteenth Amendment states that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. As a result, Affirmative action is not consistent with the Fourteenth Amendment. In this essay, I will first discuss the violation of Affirmative Action against the Fourteenth Amendment. Second, how Affirmative Action helps one group of

The truth of the matter is that many people climb the corporate ladder because they are associated with the right people whom are making executive decisions that make a difference. The government intends to provide equal opportunity based upon the individual’s merit. Affirmative action provides qualified individuals with a variety of job opportunities; this program could be viewed as another avenue to excel in a career or towards a higher education.

Affirmative action was created to help end discrimination in the work place and in educational opportunities, but has given an unfair advantage to minority groups at the expense of more qualified individuals. Because employers and colleges must show that they are accepting a proportional amount of minorities in their application acceptance process, highly qualified

To measure affirmative action of the past, reach back to “The Constitution of the United States Of America”. Take a minute to think of the first three words of the Constitution, “We the People”. Those words, we the people in the year 1787 were not referring to a disadvantaged class of people referenced within this paper. They being women and people of color. Progress has taken place in the 1900’s to include classes of people beyond the group of “White Males” inferred in 1787, when the United States Constitution was signed. As for the past three centuries to date, affirmative action is necessary since the Constitution and laws have evolved with time.

Affirmative action is a strategy formed during the Civil Rights Movement in response to the prejudiced approach toward African American citizens in the American community. The policy advocates these citizens in particular conditions to avoid the unfairness they would usually receive. To explain why the system needed to be adjusted to be equal for everyone. It is essential to realize that African Americans came to America as laborers (slaves) made to work long hours and numerous slaves endured inhuman treatment and underwent severe injuries. American citizens in the South challenged a lengthy campaign to seek to continue to be permitted to own slaves but through Lincoln and abolitionist slave-owning was ultimately banished.

Affirmative action has been one of the most effective tools to correct a history of inequalities in our nation’s history against people of color and women. The huge advances made during Civil Rights era still has not completely eradicated centuries of sexism and racism. Opportunities for advancement for those previously omitted remain few and far between in comparison to their counterparts. Race and gender are not, nor should they be, the only selection measure but they do warrant to be one of the many influences considered in college admissions, hiring, and awarding of grants and other forms of financial aid. Many prestigious and well regarded school universities such as Harvard and Stanford have been at the forefront of this ideal. Nonetheless, affirmative action remains a heavily contested social issue in the United States.

On March 6, 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925, which included a provision that government contractors "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.” Affirmative Action policies have always been controversial, largely because of the allegation that they cause employers to give preference in hiring to less-qualified minorities or females over more-qualified white males.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 empowered minorities in many different ways, most notably in prohibiting discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act expressly prohibits discrimination in hiring, firing, promotion, pay, benefits and other aspects of employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012). This law was seen as a major boon to minorities and women in the workforce who had, for years, been subjected to unfair hiring and remuneration practices. But, in order to ensure that there was broad fairness and that employers were abiding by the new law, some steps needed to be taken. One way to monitor employers was to force them to have a certain number of minorities and women on their workforces at all times, greatly increasing the number of minority employees. These affirmative action laws, while still controversial today, have made a huge difference in the composition of our nation's workforce and in the lives of those who have been affected.

If all facts were considered, it would be clearer that affirmative action is about equal economic opportunity, not just for minorities, but for women as well. It is about providing a chance to compete and participate in the economy. Every American would benefit when each person has the chance to contribute to the maximum extent of his or her ability. Affirmative action opens doors and provides opportunities for many people.

Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity in Employment have been used to ensure that all minorities are given an opportunity to succeed in America. Equal Opportunity itself is a concept hinted at by the founders in the Constitution, whereas Affirmative Action is the government policy that brings about Equal Opportunity in Employment. Has Affirmative Action actually managed to right the wrongs of previous discrimination of minorities or has it only compounded the discrimination?