Do you think holding blacks to lower standards than whites is hurting them?

Question

I was for affirmative action until I found out what it was. Affirmitive action has the negative side effect of placing unqualified students in situations where they are destined to fail. It is my opion that the lowering of standards is doing more harm than good for blacks. What do you think?

Answer 1

I think both sides of the issue of affirmative action have a decent argument, though I disagree with the idea of racial "quotas" (which is just one component of affirmative action), especially in the hiring practices of industries like health care and air transportation where level of skill is extremely important.

An interesting study about affirmative action practices in higher education:

"A study by Patricia Gurin, who is part of the American Psychological Association, found that students who are from a more diverse educational setting had better results in tests designed to measure complex thinking, were more motivated to understand other people’s points of view, were more understanding of differences in cultural environments, and were more confident in their intellectual ability."

I prefer to take more of a "centrist" position:

"Certain people have a different point of view about specifically first world affirmative action which, for lack of a better word, will be referred to as "centrist" here. They claim that affirmative action makes sense, but only to the point where it helps the disadvantaged members of minorities, as opposed to the middle and upper class. They believe that affirmative action, as it is now, is not fulfilling its original purpose (to bring minorities out of poverty) as the vast majority of minorities, in the first world at least, are already middle-class. There have been cases of middle-class minorities receiving better jobs or college acceptance rates than whites of equal or lower income or social standing. According to this point of view, affirmative action should be eliminated and joined with the normal welfare system that helps both whites and blacks that are lower-class. They believe that affirmative action should only be used to bring the lower class, not a specific racial group, out of poverty."

For a balanced look at the topic, check out the wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_action

Answer 2

Standards have been set equally through America. The standards aren't lowered, you still have to pass test and qualify. You have to meet some minimum standards. You have to bring something to the table in order to be chosen over a white anglo saxon American. It's not fair to say that standards are being lowered for African Americans. There are many students who are of African American heritage whom work hard for the positions they achieve in life.

Answer 3

It is good. Blacks are generally disadvantaged to knowing certain things about education. My mother was the first person in my family to go to college, and she knew nothing about college or high-school, because her grandparents didn't complete either. Now there is so much she knows (ie how to play the system) that she has taught me and my sister, thus making us better able to graduate.

For children whose parents don't know how to play the system college and high school is harder. Also many African American families have parent(s) in prison, which makes it even easier for one to not graduate. When you have to go to school and worry about your life, it's harder to concentrate on studies, thus creating lower grades.

Obviously if affirmative action goes on for forever, then it will harm blacks. But right now it helps people to get a better life for them self, and there future offspring.

Answer 4

Depends. If the minority is willing to work very hard, they can rise about any situation. Sometimes, folks just need that "foot in the door" to get started.

Answer 5

Society doesn't know how to handle this one. The answer will nver surface.

Answer 6

every one should be held to the same standers

Answer 7

Here we go again.

Answer 8

i think everyone should be treated as a person..