Every year, thousands of high school students anxiously await the arrival their college application decision. The response received by each student dramatically alters their lives. On the most basic level, the student discerns if they have been into accepted into a college, and if so, where they have been accepted, or if they have not been accepted into college. While those who have been accepted into college are significantly more fortunate than those who have not, a a disparity arises between the select students who have been accepted into their “dream university” and those who have been only by universities other than their “dream university”. As this acceptance and rejection process takes place every year, certain instances occur where only one of two identically qualified students are accepted into a particular university. Likewise, many cases exist in which a less qualified student is accepted into a particular university and a more qualified student is rejected. In instances like these, one student’s acceptance versus another student’s rejection has boiled down to a single deciding factor: race.
As history shows us, the university system in the United States has been incredibly biased in terms of who is accepted into the varying universities located within the United States. In the very beginning, the university system was reserved for rich white men. As time passed and the system became more liberal, white women were allowed to study in universities as well. The status quo that the wealthier class maintained a monopoly over college education was the norm for a multitude of years. This monopoly feeds into and provides support for Menand’s second theory, which, stated in his article, holds that that higher education is for “reproducing a privileged social class.” If only the wealthier class, which in years was almost exclusively white, has access to a college education, and a college education is the means through which one achieves success in life, than it is only logical to perceive college as a mechanism that proliferates a homogenous privileged class.
(http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-3440868-equality.php)
To counteract this social bias, in our current age, everyone is allowed to participate in the University system. It is very important, however, to understand the way that everyone is “allowed” to study at universities. Only those who have completed the requirements to graduate high school and have completed a college application, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, culture, physical are permitted to attend a university. Further, even though university attendance is no longer reserved a for single class, and everyone is allowed to attend, not everyone is accepted into university. On the basis of objective accolades, grades, well-roundedness, community service, etc., students are discriminated against in terms of who is accepted and who is rejected. For example, some universities have a set grade-point average that is their cut-off line for acceptance; any student who does not mean this criteria will not be accepted. Therefore, even though everyone is able to apply to attend a university and allowed to attend, the reality is that many do not on the basis of objective accolades. It would seem that in our current age, Menand’s second theory is now invalid. I, however, disagree. Though the socio-economic university-admittance bias of the past, that is the rich white monopoly over education, no longer exists at an appreciable level, in attempt to make justice of the unequal ethnic distribution of students in the university system, the system has now been skewed toward minority groups through the use of Affirmative Action.
(http://www.debbieschlussel.com/5357/echoes-of-bakke-supremes-overturn-racist-affirmative-action-plan-reverses-sonia-from-the-block/)
Affirmative action can be defined as taking “factors including race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group in areas of employment, education and business” (Affirmative Action). I believe that the idea that some groups should be treated differently than others itself is racist and discriminatory. True equality comes from having the same standards for all groups, regardless of how different they are. If college or university is a sorting mechanism as Menand’s states, then college admissions should also be a sorting mechanism as well. I believe that all students applying to the same university should be judged by the same standards."Affirmative Action." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., Web 8 Dec 2012
Menand, Louis. "Debating the Value of College in America." The New Yorker. Conde Nast., 6 June. 2011. Web 8 Dec 2012
I agree that the idea that some groups should be treated differently than others is racist and discriminatory. But, universities keep looking to diversify their campus with people of different races. So I can see where they are coming from, however, it is not good the way in which they do it. I also agree that all students applying to the same university should be judged by the same standards. It isn't fair to have higher standards for some people and lower ones for others, especially based on race or gender, or another factor. I think that they use affirmative action as a means to have equality, like equality of representation on campus of certain groups of people. It doesn't, however, benefit equality of students wanting to go to certain schools because the acceptance of one kid means the rejection of another. It is hard to maintain perfect equality like we want, but we can try to move towards it. And if affirmative action isn't really that method, we should probably try to figure out other ways to achieve such equality.
ReplyDeleteI find myself agreeing with a lot of what you say. I don't think that it is right for some students to work really hard and then not get into a school because they are a certain race. This is happening while others who don't deserve it as much, or didn't work as hard, easily get in just because they are underrepresented. While I know that the intentions of affirmative action are sound and make a lot of sense, (because diversity is obviously a good thing) I agree with you that it is actually racist in itself. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to get into college based on how qualified they are for a particular school; race should not play a role at all. Even if affirmative action serves to benefit minorities, it still isn't right because they are being treated differently than everyone else (which isn't equal). I also see the other side, however, because this could be a good method long term. It is quite unfortunate now but if we keep it in place, somewhere down the road we may be able to get rid of affirmative action and all races will be more equally represented. This generation can start the trend for all races to go to college and pass that on to the future. This is a good thing because I do think that more people and races should get higher educations. I don't know if there is really a solution currently for the problem because both sides have good points.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone should be treated any differently. I've been trying to make the point that if the resume of hard work and effort is apparent, then denial should be rare. I agree that students should be judged the same, I just don't like the idea of affirmative action and minorities getting a sympathy point. I feel that affirmative action is a legal form of discrimination that shouldn't be in existence for our society. Maybe it shouldn't be taken away completely, but there are some changes that I think that have to be made.
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