This is the con argument on college racial quotas. To read the pro argument, click here.
Affirmative action isn’t as clear-cut as it’s thought to be. Why? Because not all minorities are poor and not all whites are rich.
For example, take a white teenage boy struggling with two alcoholic parents living in Appalachia. The boy, with all odds against him, tries his best at school. However, as anyone can imagine, his school system hardly helps him. Earning 1200 out of 2400 on the SATs, he struggles to get into a reputable university.
However, a minority student living in an upper middle class community with two lawyers as parents has everything in his favor. He has the best schools and the biggest opportunities. However, he also struggles in school and also gets a 1200 on his SATS. However, due to affirmative action, he has less of a problem getting into his dream school.
Now, before you see me as an ignorant, conservative Republican, please note that I am a liberal Democrat. I believe everyone deserves the same opportunities and most of all, I believe in equality.
But what I also believe in is hard work and a better school system. Education is key to liberating the poor and oppressed members of any society.
No one’s race should determine their job or their choice in college. Work ethic and socioeconomic backgrounds should be the primary deciding factors when colleges write their acceptance decisions.
There are many appealing factors to affirmative action, especially for universities that want to be diverse. Exposure to multiple cultures helps one become more wholly educated about the world.
Instead of starting college by giving minorities and those of lower socioeconomic backgrounds first priority, our society should start that preferential treatment in grade school.
Everyone deserves a spectacular education. All doors should be open to everyone regardless of their race.
Not everyone is given the same opportunities, but they should be. Society should not be unfair to a certain race at one point in time and to another race at another point in time.
At a young age, children start hearing the phrase “life isn’t fair.” Well, if it isn’t fair, then let us make it fair.
Colleges should focus on traits we can control and forget about race. It should not be a factor in the college admissions process.
Eva Bialobrzeski is an A&E Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.