Say No to Affirmative Action | Teen Ink

Say No to Affirmative Action

January 12, 2010
By JH8909 SILVER, Houston, Texas
JH8909 SILVER, Houston, Texas
5 articles 0 photos 0 comments

The debate about affirmative action had two sides; proponents of it argue that it simply evens out the playing field of college admissions, while opponents argue that it gives undeserved advantages to minorities. To determine whether the program is justified we must look at its results. Although inequalities still exist, affirmative action can promote racism towards minorities and cause segregation on college campuses. Affirmative action should not be enforced because it is unfair to both minorities and non-minorities.

For years, Americans worked for equality, meaning that students should not be judged based on their race but on their accomplishments. Ultimately great steps were taken toward equality when segregation of schools was ended. The key here is that equality meant the opportunity to attend the same schools and receive the same education. This opportunity to equal education will allow minority students equal preparation to complete with non-minorities in college admissions. By using affirmative action we are not enforcing equality, but using a form of reverse racism. Affirmative action ensures that students are evaluated based on race, rather than taking race out of the considerations.

Affirmative action is also unfair to minorities because once they are accepted into school, students will assume that they were only accepted to increase diversity. Minorities will not appear deserving to fellow students but only accepted because of race. The affirmative action admissions do not allow the deserving minority students the opportunity to prove that they can compete on a level playing field.

Also, minority students admitted under affirmative action rather than based on their accomplishments may not be prepared for college and once admitted may simply flunk out. The admissions process is not simply a way to award a privilege, but is designed to promote a good learning environment by ensuring students are prepared. In the “Gap Report” Scott Janslick writes:
Nationally, about 57 percent of students at four-year institutions graduate within six years -- with some private colleges reporting rates well above 90 percent year after year while others have rates that are quite low. Black students disproportionately attend colleges with low graduation rates for black students. Only about 30 percent attend colleges with six-year graduation rates of 50 percent or higher. About 50 percent of black students attend colleges with six-year graduation rates for black students that are less than 40 percent.

The proponents of affirmative action believe that most minorities go to inferior secondary schools. While secondary schools are not all equal, they have become more alike since the beginning of affirmative action. Affirmative action is too extreme of an advantage and allows minorities to slack off. We should not be basing college admission on race, but instead focusing on the bettering of secondary education to both non minorities and minorities.


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