Affirmative Action Short Essay 2

Richard Kahlenberg believes there are strong arguments for both socioeconomic class and race when considering affirmative action. He begins with saying that racial affirmative action is under legal and political attack. Despite a 5-4 vote for racial affirmative action in 2003's Grutter vs. Bolinger, Justice Alito (conservative) replaced Justice O'connor and PICS vs. Seattle School Board (2007) cut down racial integration in K-12 education. Furthermore, Fisher v. Texas challenge is using race as a "last resort" while determining affirmative action. States even banned affirmative action in college admissions for CA, FL, MI, WA, and NE, possibly under the pretense that 86 % of African Americans in selective colleges and universities are middle or upper-middle class. Kahlenberg asks, " Is the idea of wealthy blacks receiving A.A. fair?" The dissent he expects, I believe, is "no." He does, however, propose an alternative: If somebody does well despite non-resilient factors in their culture, they should receive affirmative action, says Kahlenberg. Backed by poll results, he believes this "new plan" is bullet-proof - and he even points to a psychological study affirming that the cost of SAT point disadvantage is primarily due to socioeconomic status. Corollary to this, he shows that students in selective colleges are 25 times as likely to run into a rich student compared to his or her poor counterpart. Kahlenberg wants to form an aggregate of student bodies and workers that receive admission and consideration based on fulfilling a quota of grades and test scores; i.e., 1000-1300 SAT with good grades. He believes that this will help all struggling people of resilience, while weaning out the idea of helping middle to upper-middle class racial minorities. This, he says, will represent more truly struggling African Americans -- as well as Whites, Asians, Latino/as, etc. -- and allow for a more democratic America. Though I appreciate his sentiment, he overlooks these following... [continues]

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