Fwd: Mr. Levine, Research Seminar project

[Rhianna Waterman]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rick Willets <rgwi...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 17, 2011 at 8:17 AM
Subject: Re: Mr. Levine, Research Seminar project
To: Rhianna Waterman <rwate...@gmail.com>

1. What are your views on affirmative action? 

Affirmative action is a means to an end.  Unfortunately, it seems to have become an end unto itself.  What do I mean by that?  The idea was to give everyone an equal chance at education and  employment.  Those that were in some way disadvantaged would be given special consideration.  It was hoped that when enough people were given this help there would come a time when it was no longer needed.  Education and employment opportunities would produce a group of people who could then help others withour relying on special consideration.  It is a program that should have had an expiration date.

It seems not to have worked that way.  Even with affirmative action, there are still many people whose backgrounds do not allow them the opportunites the rest of us have.

 

 

 

2.  Have you ever experienced affirmative action first hand?

No, not that I am aware of.

 

3. What could be a possible remedy for affirmative action?

Education is the cure-all for so many problems.  There should be no schools that lack the necessary funds to provide the students with what they need.  Unfortunately, money is not the only thing needed.  The communities in which these schools operate have to support the schools with more than money.  Parents have to support the schools.  Only when quality education is available to all and all are willing to take advantage of it, will affirmative action no longer be needed.

 

4. In your opinion, does affirmative action do more harm than benefit?

There will always be some people who are given an opportunity through affirmative action and mess up.  Others will point to them as a reason why the program is a failure.  There will always be some people who do not get admitted to a program and blame affirmative action for giving their space to someone else.  There will always be people admitted to programs who will be accused of not deserving the opportunity and only got it because of affirmative action.

If we focus on those things only, then the program does harm.  If we look at the successes of affirmative action, then we can be pleased with what has happened.

The harm comes when someone actually is denied an opportunity because someone else got it due to affirmative action.  That seems a small prioce to pay unless you are that person.

 

 

5. Do you believe that affirmative action should be used when determining employment and education?

 

As is the case with so many things- maybe, but it should be used wisely (whatever that means)

 

Thanks,

Sincerely,

 

Rhianna Waterman

Whitney Milewski

Emily Lawler

Jen Shaw