This article I am posting is perfect for our discussion of diversity in education and higher education. According to article posted by Scott Jaschik, "The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to consider whether the University of Texas at Austin has the right to consider race and ethnicity in admissions decisions. Those bringing the case hope the Supreme Court will restrict or even eliminate the right of colleges to consider race in admissions – a prerogative last affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2003 in a case involving the University of Michigan’s law school."
Essentially if the U.S. Supreme Court rules that race should no longer be considered a factor in admissions, it will over-turn the Supreme Court decision in 2003 (GRUTTER v. BOLLINGER) which ruled, "The Law School’s narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body is not prohibited by the Equal Protection Clause, Title VI, or §1981. Pp. 9—32."
If you have taken Dr. Trent's Access to Higher Education course, you may recall we read a book called: Integrating the 40 Acres: The 50-Year Struggle for Racial Equality at the University of Texas written by Dwonna Goldstone. This book is a documentary of the race relations at the University of Texas Austin, specifically examining the experiences of African American students. Without extreme measures taken to integrate students in the UT campus, there would be no underrepresented minority students. Thus to challenge affirmative action is simply to challenge diversity in higher education.
This is my personal opinion of the use of affirmative action. Hopefully I can sum up my perspective in a short, concise, and articulated manner. In America, policy utilizing race have been used in two ways: 1) to discriminate and eliminate particular groups, particularly African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and low-income students from accessing resources that will enable them to have the opportunity to increase their social mobility in America, and 2) to create instances of educational opportunities that were originally denied to them due to the way race was used in reason number 1.
It appears to me that we are in a state where individuals in society want to neglect the impact that race, racism, and discrimination has had on certain groups in America. Simply stating race is no longer a problem is equivalent to saying, the sky does not exist when it is apparent that it does. Using race is a Catch 22. It is wrong of course to discriminate against race, however creating opportunities, specifically for students that were never given the chance in America is right. I am sure this conversation fits into the larger discussion of Critical Race Theory and Interest Convergence. Its bad enough my own state, California does not honor affirmative action, I will be heart broken if this continues which essentially jeopardize our want and need for diversity in higher education.
What are your thoughts of Affirmative Action?
How should the Supreme Court Rule this case?
Read more: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/02/21/supreme-court-takes-affirmative-action-case#ixzz1n2ZUCslE
Inside Higher Ed
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