Affirmative Action An Unfair Tool For Disadvantaged...

Affirmative Action admission policies have been highly criticized since their enactment in the 1960’s. Conservatives see affirmative action as an unfair tool for underachieving minority students rather than a policy to correct past racial inequalities and promote a diverse learning environment. This ideology of affirmative action is portrayed in Jim Huber’s political cartoon, number 1 on the list. Penned for a conservative audience, Huber’s political cartoon argues against affirmative action by suggesting that affirmative action does not promote hard work, but instead gives unequal advantages to minority students. This cartoon was published on March 30, 2003, in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case that would determine whether the University of Michigan’s affirmative action admissions policies violated the equal protection clause under the Fourteenth Amendment. The black and white illustration showcases a white student and a black student discussing their SAT testing experience. The white student talks first saying, â€Å"Whew, Those SAT questions were brutal. What do you think?† Smiling, the black student responds, â€Å"I got the one where I check off my ethnicity. So I know I aced it.† This conversation implies that the black student will get accepted into college based on his ethnicity rather than his academic skill, and, therefore, does not need to work hard in school. In contrast, the white student has to do significantly better than the black student onShow MoreRelated The Affirmative Action Debate Essay1642 Words   |  7 PagesFor the sake of this essay, affirmative action in education is defined as: â€Å"policies and programs designed to advance equality of educationalopportunity for individuals from groups that have suffered systematic historical discrimination† (Mickelson 29). What is being referred to here is race-based affirmative action, or the act of taking into consideration an applicant’s race in the college admissions process. This is a hot topic all over the United States and has been for quite a while, the debateRead MoreEssay on Affirmative Action Discriminates against Asians1146 Words   |  5 PagesAffirmative action has been viewed as an effective tool for rectifying the inequalities of racism in our country’s past. It is a set of procedures intended to eliminate the discrimination of an applicant based on their ethnic origin. President John F. Kennedy first introduced the concept â€Å"broadly across the United States with his Executive Order number 10925† and  "in 1978 the Supreme Court ruled that race could be used as an admission standard† (Wilcher). The utilization of race is a â€Å"plus factor†Read MoreAffirmative Action Has Outlived Its Usefullness1368 Words   |  6 PagesAffirmative Action Has Outlived Its Usefulness The goal of affirmative action is to compensate for past injuries which minorities endured. Affirmative action gives special privileges to minorities based solely on the color of their skin, not on their abilities or their financial situation. The goal of affirmative action is to remedy the injuries caused by discrimination. Yet after analyzing affirmative action one could determine that it seeks to cure discrimination with more discrimination. Read MoreAffirmative Action During The Civil Rights Movement1237 Words   |  5 Pagescivil rights movement, minorities were being oppressed and discriminated against. Minorities were losing out on opportunities and jobs. They felt like everything was just so unfair to them. This mistreatment happened until the government implemented affirmative action. 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It has been controversial because it has been said to be a form of reverse discrimination. This paper will discuss the purpose behind affirmative action, as well as, its various strengths a nd weaknesses. Also, this paper will look at the following issues surrounding affirmative action such as the incompetency myth ( are companies hiring less qualified people?), the impact on employment (what has changed in the work place?), theRead MoreAffirmative Action And Its Effect On Education2230 Words   |  9 PagesAffirmative Action(,/;?) Necessary or Detrimental to Education? Martin Luther King Jr. once proclaimed â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.† This quote is infamous, and has been adopted as the essential basis of the minority equality movement. However, minority equality supporters and activists also support a policy that directly contradicts Martin Luther KingRead MoreThe Case Of Brown V. Board Of Education1813 Words   |  8 Pages Even before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s, lawmakers were attempting to right the wrongs of over two hundred and forty five years of slavery and oppression of minorities in the United States. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a directive forbidding defense contractors from using racially discriminatory hiring practices (Week) and on May 17, 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the provisions of Plessy v. Ferguson, which allowed for â€Å"separate but equal† public facilitiesRead MoreEssay about Affirmative Action: a Permanent Approach2970 Words   |  12 PagesAffirmative Action: a Permanent Approach One of the hottest debates in recent history has been the validity of a Civil Rights policy called affirmative action. The policy proposes â€Å"preferential treatment† to certain groups based on their minority status, giving them an advantage in job employment and some areas of education. The question asked most often is whether it is constitutional to give advantages to certain groups, excluding some, based solely on their race or ethnicity. It is up toRead MoreIs Affirmative Action Ethical?4820 Words   |  20 PagesRunning Head: IS AFFIRMATION ACTION ETHICAL? Is Affirmation Action Ethical? Mehlia Adkins Baker College of Allen Park Cultural Diversity Seth Persky Is Affirmation Action Ethical? Introduction Nowadays, the confrontational subject of affirmative action is rising and becoming a controversial issue. This study will explore and analyze the controversy over an ethical affirmative action perspective, and examine the social policy behind this basic premise that every individual should receive