For Writing for Social Justice (The Latino Education Crisis)

The Problem With Affirmative Action

The problem for some with affirmative action is that it "discriminates against nonminorities by offering opportunity on the basis of the color of people's skin rather than on merit" (36). The problem for me is that minorities have been discriminated against and denied opportunity on the basis of skin color rather than merit for longer than affirmative action has been in place. If there had truly been equal opportunity than there wouldn't have been any need for affirmative action. Are nonminorities really being discriminated against, or is the problem that they are no longer the ones who are being privileged?

My other problem is in the notion that minorities are being "victims" and somehow lowers their "motivation to complete on a level playing field" (36-37), as if there was, or would be, a level playing field without it. I also disagree with the notion that affirmative action gives minorities an unfair advantage and gives them an opportunity that they otherwise didn't deserve. It goes back to their being an equal playing field. If high schools were equal (and No Child Left Behind really didn't place certain children ahead others), then the minority students would be entering into college on a level playing field and the system could be based on merit instead.