Diverse Issues in Higher Education
by Wayne A. Jones
Sep 10, 2008, 21:02
The title for this article was selected in response to this writer’s initial and continued uneasiness in relationship to the question posed by the title of a Diverse Online article of July 2, 2008, “Might Obama’s Success Undercut Affirmative Action?”
The July 2 piece would have its readers confront many questions to include: Does the fact that Sen. Barack Obama is the first African-American to become the nominee of a major political party (Democratic Party) for the presidency manifest itself in undercutting further gains in affirmative action? Secondly, is this a clear indication of our country’s movement to a position of racial equality and thus can we not remove what has been special consideration to place minorities in positions of employment and schools?
The article intimates the significant achievement of one African-American senator to become the nominee of his party for the highest office in the land in and of itself translates that we as a society and nation have conquered the oldest and most evil vestiges of racism and discrimination; thus there is no longer a need for affirmative action. Senator Obama’s carefully orchestrated and arduously successful campaign to win the Democratic nomination is an indication of the willingness of many persons from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds to take an objective look at the candidates and the issues and to make their selection. It is not and was not a vote on affirmative action.
Affirmative action is an interesting concept whose definition confuses many persons, as many incorrectly have the idea that it means that employers are required to give jobs to underqualified persons in order to satisfy government mandates or that colleges and universities must admit students of color who would otherwise not be accepted.
In my capacity as a professor, in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Virginia State University, the subject of affirmative action is discussed in several classes. I usually ask my students to explain affirmative action in their own words prior to providing an explanation and history of this important policy. As a part of this exercise I also ask students for their opinion of the continuing need for affirmative action. The results always bring a plethora of interesting, and usually misconstrued, responses defining affirmative action and reasons for or against its continuing need.
A quick examination of the myriad of explanations of affirmative action reveals why there is much confusion on this matter. In We the People: an Introduction to American Politics, Dr. Thomas Patterson cites that equality and liberty are two of America’s core ideals. An ideal is a concept: concepts request actions by those individuals who believe in them. True equality would mean all persons, regardless of race, age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status would have the opportunity to benefit from the resources of this country.
The history of America shows that its actions have not always followed its ideals especially as they relate to equality. American history provides numerous examples of our troubled path on the journey towards justice to become truly an equalized society. One result of the many attempts to rectify our country’s deplorable record on race and equality was the implementation of affirmative action. Patterson adroitly writes in his chapter on equal rights … “affirmative action is a deliberate effort to provide full and equal opportunities in employment, education and other areas for members of traditionally disadvantaged groups.” [To read the entire commentary, go to: http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_11663.shtml ]
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