Legal Eagle: 2012-2013 Supreme Court Docket

[Sazari]

[Dylan]

i've wavered, but at the end of the day i think the benefits outweigh the costs.

[Professor]

Posted this yesterday, but the website ate the reply and was so pissed that I didn't want to retype it, until now.

I know that we're trying to remedy decades of institutional racism. But, what about the fact that we are creating a whole new generation of white people who resent the fact that, through no fault of their own, they are at institutionally disadvantaged in many areas, based solely on skin color.

You talk about efficiency of achieving results. AA may be expeditious. But, it may not be best. By artificially elevating people, are we making society better?

Consider what Malcolm Gladwell found in his book Blink (or Tipping Point, perhaps). Basically, it's a fact that minority kids don't do as well in school. Income doesn't have nearly the impact on success as race. But, it's also been noted that kids of all colors learn at roughly the same rate during the school year. When a kid starts in 1st grade, a black kid will end up with roughly the same educational achievement as a white kid. But, during the summer, the white kids' parents will accomplish reading lists and otherwise help develop essential educational skills. The black kids' parents don't do that. So, when they get to the 2nd grade, the black kids have to spend the first 2 months relearning what they forgot over the summer, while the white kids can start learning new things. Over the course of 8 years, the black kids fall 1-2 years behind. This reduces their chance of going to college (or high school, sometimes), getting a good job, etc.

So, I would contend that THIS is why there are a derth of minority-owned businesses, or successful minority businessmen. Not because my great-great-great-great-grandfather lived during a time that permitted slavery. Not because my grandfather lived in an era of white-only bathrooms.

If this is accurate, then why do we continue to treat the symptoms, instead of preventing the disease? Enact a year-round school year, so that kids don't get a chance to fall behind over the summer (even if the hours are reduced during the summer or something). Keep kids for an extra hour or two at the end of the day, so they can complete their "homework" if they aren't doing it at home. I'm not an education person - but we need to start here to fix the inequality problem in higher education and business. If there isn't enough diversity in these areas, because not enough minorities qualify without getting artificial help, then help them out from the beginning, so that we don't have to help them in the end.

Yes - I realize that this might be a more expensive option. However, I believe that this is an area in which it is perfectly appropriate for government to spend money. The goal of government is to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to succeed. But, it is not a goal of government to ensure that everyone succeeds equally.

[Dylan]

Summers are evil.

Sure, I agree Prof. And when that happens and the achievement gap organically narrows, I will be more than happy to say goodbye to AA.

[Professor]

Guess you're right. AA and my solution aren't mutually exclusive.