Affirmitive Action In The College Admissions Process Essay

Growing up in the United States, racism is an issue one cannot help but hear about at one point or another. Racial inequality and discrimination is a topic that comes up every February with Black History Month, and is often talked about in high school history classes around the country. But that is what it is considered to the majority of people: history. Most students are taught that, while there are still and will always be individual cases of racial discrimination and racism, nationally the problem ended with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. People of color, however, will often tell you differently. At least that is what they told Tim Wise,

Solórzano and Yosso (2001) asserted that the aforementioned concepts act as a “camouflage for the self-interest, power and privilege of dominate groups in U.S. society” (p. 473). This means that even though over sixty years have passed since the Civil Rights Movement and over one hundred years since the Emancipation Proclamation, there are still forms of racism and oppression that are evident in higher education that require further research through the lens of critical race theory.

The revered civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” In other words, don’t discriminate people because of their race. This should hold true in all aspects of life. Every American deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, which is why affirmative action is inherently racist. Affirmative action refers to various government policies that aim to increase the proportion of minorities and women in jobs and educational institutions historically dominated by white men. The policies usually require employers and institutions to set goals for hiring or admitting minorities. It is responsible for colleges discriminating against Eastern Asians and whites and for employers hiring workers based off of skin color rather than skills or experience. People can’t change their race (except for former president of the Spokane N.A.A.C.P. chapter, Rachel Dolezal, apparently), yet many colleges and employers favor certain races over others by using quotas, or a fixed number of people of each race.

Being admitted into college is a difficult process, one that requires students to be diligent in their studies, engage in a number of extracurricular activities, and overcome the everyday pressures and challenges that high-schoolers face across the country. Admittedly, not everyone in the United States is born with the same opportunities as socioeconomic factors as well as historic injustices have contributed to a society in which some people are far more likely to achieve upward mobility – of which, obtaining a college degree is a necessary part – than others. While there is need to rectify this reality,

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 was a temporary remedy that would last until there was a level playing field for all Americans. However, this was not the case; in the 1970s, there was a lot of backlash and arguments about affirmative action and how it was a form of reverse racism. The Bakke Case made the argument of reverse racism famous. “In 1978, a white male, had been rejected two years in a row by a medical school that had accepted less qualified minority applications- the school had a separate admissions policy for minorities and reserved 16 out of 100 places for minority students” (Brunner & Rowen, 2014). From this, the Supreme Court made it illegal to have quota systems in affirmative action programs.

Since 1954, Brown v. Board of Education ended segregated schools allowing all students to attend the school they want to. The issue of racism and equality are still things that are discussed in the present day and affirmative action is one of the issues that people talk about. Most people are not necessarily comfortable talking about which is part of the reason the issue is still prevalent in today’s society. One of the most notable cases regarding affirmative action is Fisher v. Texas. When comparing this case to Brown v. Board of Education, which could be pinned as the case that began affirmative action, there are many points that can be related to each case. Within the cases, the points that cause issues in society today are race and equality.

But one things for sure, is that the affirmative action has changed intensely since the Bakke case. Many people agree that the affirmative action is helpful and (in this case) in bringing African Americans into their schools if they have the correct records (Banfield 107-109). By the time that the Bakke case had passed, many people had different opinions on the outcome. Some preferred it stay the same as it was before, and others preferred how it was now. As known, the affirmative actions had a big part in the court case, steering it in different directions and ways. Some African Americans even said they'd liked how it was traditionally, saying that the affirmative action wasn't changed very clearly (Banfield 97). Quickly after the Bakke case, the affects of the courts decision become obvious in schools nearby. The schools now chose students by grades and grade points rather than by race. They would also receive and un-receive points if they were disadvantaged/part of a minority. With that, the schools were mainly all equal. Happily, Allan Bakke attended the next year, 1978, at the University of California Medical School. Since the court case, the schools program had changed for the better; at least in Allan's mind (Banfield 99). The case brought forth a new era to America. Even though it might not be seen in some peoples eyes, it shaped affirmative action, and even helped stop racism partly. It took several years to take its affect on the world though, like any important case would. Allan Bakke might not know it, but his case helped start changing the world for the better (Banfield

American society likes to believe that race relations in our country are no longer strained. We do not want to hear about the need for affirmative action or about the growing numbers of white supremacist groups. In order to appease our collective conscious, we put aside the disturbing fact that racism is alive and well in the great U.S.A. It hides in the workplace, it subtly shows its ugly face in the media, and it affects the education of minority students nationwide. In the following excerpts from an interview with a middle class African American male, the reader will find strong evidence that race plays a major role in determining the type and quality of education a student receives.

Racism has been active since civilization began. There are two stories that describe two types of discrimination. “After You, My Dear Alphonse”, by Shirley Jackson is one of the stories. The racism displayed in this story is subtle. “The Test”, by Angelica Gibbs is the second story. The racism in this story is blatant. Both stories display a sense to the reader of how there really is no difference in social class. No matter if you’re black or white you can do anything. For example, “The Test” states, “Mandy got her degree, did she? Dog my cats!'” The driving inspector in this story finds it hard to believe that a black woman got her degree. She is human just like him. Both have the same odds of getting ahead in life. Racism is the belief of

I find myself agreeing with most of the opinions of Harris and McClure, with small nitpicks and opinions I disagree with. I agree with the statement that as students enter college, race becomes a more prominent topic, however I think McClure has a slightly outdated idea of racism and how college students think about it. College is no longer the first time people are learning “unsanitized” history. As our culture changes to accept the value of free speech and less censorship, while ignoring the old values of patriotism, youth of all races, as a collective, become more willing to accept the truth about our country. High schools around the country, at least in more liberal environments, are informing kids from early on about the inherent racism still

Of all 8th graders 25% take algebra 1. Logically this would mean 25% of all races of students would take algebra 1. However, only 13% of black students and only 12% of latino students took algebra 1 in the 8th grade. If you were to claim that racism does not apply to the school system, you are disproven by logic and basic math. Okay, so minorities are less likely to be put in ap classes and more likely in special education, but how does this affect them? According to a state college admission report, higher colleges say the most important criteria for getting into college is the presence of ap classes. This gives a disadvantage to students of color who are less likely to be pushed into these classes, or Special Education students (of which african americans are 67% more likely to be a part of) who often aren’t allowed to take them. The fact that colleges look down upon lower track students isn’t the whole story however. High track students often get a feeling of superiority towards their lower track peers, and as common as it is for high track students to feel they are better it is more likely that low track students to feel they are lower than those in higher classes.

The beginning of colleges and universities in the United States dates back to Harvard University founded in 1636. In more prestigious schools, only people at the top of their class and the highest achievers would be accepted. As time progressed, these elite schools would grow a reputation for birthing people that would go on to achieve great things. Later in the 20th century, more rights had been given to minorities such as blacks. This would lead to the creation of affirmative action, which colleges, universities, and workplaces started to implement. Affirmative action is controversial because it can be against the Constitution in some cases, and others can be accepted by court. Overall, affirmative action can increase diversity in colleges

Affirmative action has been very helpful in court cases in society since it has become a law. In 1954 there was the Brown vs. Board of Education case, which made it possible

The affirmative action covers many groups of minorities who cannot apply to the university or job. These groups are racial, ethnic, sexual minorities, women, the disabled people and others. All of them were heavily discriminated and deprived of their citizen and human rights and some of