Mentor’s Name
1. Agreeing on a definition of the key terms is one of the first steps in debating an issue. How are Cantor and Connerly each using the term affirmative action?
One of the generally agreed definitions of affirmative action is that it “involves taking positive steps in job hiring and college admissions to correct certain past injustices against groups such as minorities and women” . For Cantor, affirmative action is “a way to enrich the educational and intellectual lives of white students as well as students of color” . For her, race should not be abandoned in admissions. On the other hand, for Connerly, affirmative action is about “race preferences,” but was against it because it undermines the principle of fairness . Instead, he advocates merit-based systems (such as in college admissions), although imperfect, has nonetheless “allowed talents to flourish.”
2. Discuss whether affirmative action has a place in a democracy that is built on equal rights for all citizens, or if it is a violation of the fundamental principle of fairness.
Depending on one’s point of view, affirmative action has a place in a democracy whether it is built on equal rights for all citizens or not. For my part, however, I think that affirmative action is a violation of the fundamental principles of fairness. My reason is that democracy is a fair playing field. Although some peoples are disadvantaged because of their races, color of their skin, etc., our genuine concern should be on merit. When we prefer a particular characteristic of a person to others, which carries no bearing as to one’s aptitude, intelligence, etc., we are doing more harm than good to other peoples’ rights. Sometimes, we do not simply make affirmation as to what should be done as long as we do not defy the very intent/action that we presuppose/advance.
3. Compare and contrast Cantor's and Connerly's perspectives on the use of affirmative action in college admissions. Which person makes the better argument? Support your position using arguments from the readings?
Both Cantor and Connerly have the same understanding of what affirmative action is that it is about racial issue such as in college admission. Cantor argued that affirmative action enriches the educational/intellectual lives of peoples no matter what their racial backgrounds are whereas Connerly claims that racial classifications is unfair because it “treat people differently” over uncontrollable factors than on merits/desert . I believe that Connerly makes a better argument because race is something we cannot control while merit, talent, aptitude, etc. are something that we can develop in a person.
4. As an Illinois senator, Barack Obama was a strong supporter of race-based affirmative action. However, as President he is moving away from this position toward an economic or class-based criterion of affirmative action. Critically analyze whether basing affirmative action on class rather than on race overcomes Connerly’s objections to race-based affirmative action.
As a former Illinois senator, Barack Obama was right for having strongly supported race-based affirmative action. Now that Obama is President, I think he is in a better position to base affirmative action on class rather than on race. Thus, in basing affirmative action on class or economic considerations, Connerly is in a sense correct for advocating a merit-based system, but not in casting “all of the other stuff” aside . Students who are in low socio-economic conditions, although they have the aptitude/talent/merit to excel in their studies, will benefit more on a class-based affirmative action.
5. Research the policy at your college (Harrison College in Indiana, USA) regarding affirmative action in admission. To what extent has this policy had an impact on diversity in the student body and the quality of your education? Support your answer using specific examples.
Well, in this case, I am from another country but I have been getting a good education from the Harrison College in Indiana, USA. Harrison College has the same policy as any other colleges in the US. As an affirmative action institution, it encourages diversity in its admission criteria and equal opportunity in all its educational programs. Moreover, it upholds the statutory civil and constitutional rights of its students (and even staff). I have not observed any negative impact on diversity in the student body and the quality of education. Likewise, my College does not allow inappropriate limitation, for example, in terms of participation in and access to social, cultural, or other campus-related activities based on my civil status, height, race, religion, etc.
6. What criteria (for example, experiences, talents, alumni status of parents) do you think should be used in college admissions? Working is small groups, develop a list of relevant criteria and assign each criterion a point value (for example, 10 or 20) out of total of 100points based on how important each criterion is to the admissions decisions.
I believe that some of the college admissions criteria should be talents (e.g., for the fine arts courses), experiences (e.g., for special/credit courses), religion (e.g., for private sectarian schools), alumni status of parents (e.g., if one’s parent is a Nobel prize laureate), and those required by laws, contract, grants, and so on. (Passing score = 80%)
Reference
Boss, J. (2011). THiNK: Critical Thinking and Logic Skills for Everyday Life (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
