Opinion: The End of Affirmative Action Is an Opportunity

I would be lying if I said that I wasn't disappointed in the ruling by the Supreme Court when it came to Affirmative Action. This case was something that made me question a lot of what I value and why I even felt impacted by it in the first place. The legacy of affirmative action in the United States in my honest opinion has always been complicated. While it definitely opened the door for people from marginalized racial backgrounds and women (especially White women)...in my opinion I could see that there was a conflict of interest from the beginning. While affirmative action assured that people from these groups could get hired into certain professions, it did little to assure what happened once their foot was in the door. When we talk about inclusive cultures...we do get excited about the diversity within the workplace but fall short of creating welcoming spaces that allow the differences to thrive and to become a part of the community.

According to the opinion issued by the majority of the Supreme Court justices, their decision is derived on the statistical analysis that showed that certain minority categories were accepted at a higher rate compared to their White and Asian peers. The statistics themselves do not lie. At University of North Carolina (UNC), in the top academic docile, 80% of Black applicants were admitted v. the 70% of White and Asian applicants. In the second docile, the numbers did show more disparities. 87% of Black applicants were admitted, vs. the 58% of White applicants and the 47% of Asian ones. These disparities are noted also in the third docile as well.

As I read through the Supreme Court decision, I found myself reflecting on the opinions being expressed by both majority opinion and the minority opinion. Three justices: Kagan, Jackson, and Sotomayor...all expressed concerns about the impacts of affirmative action being rolled back. Jackson and Sotomayor were particular about their concern. Rolling affirmative action-- in their opinion-- would essentially roll back opportunities for Black and Hispanic/Latino students to be considered for opportunities to attend institutions of higher learning. Meanwhile, the opposite side argued that they themselves were being denied opportunities to attend institutions of higher learning.

Here's what I recognized as I was reading through this case...both sides were talking about how they felt the other was encroaching on their opportunity to attend particular establishments. Harvard is known for being one of the most prestigious schools in the country, but that prestige comes from it being one of the most exclusive universities. The attendance is based on how it only accepts certain individuals. Many of these people actually come from families who attended it in the past. This is where the term "legacy student" comes from. We also have people being considered because of their connections to certain influential decision-makers rather than based on their merit or their previous academic performance. Harvard and UNC are not only institutions with these kinds of problems. Universities across the United States hold a high regard for the children of their alumni and those that were closely connected. I remember even attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania and overhearing conversations about the legacy students there and the level of prestige that was placed on them...some of it not always warranted.

This all comes back to a serious issue in the United States...education is treated as a luxury instead of a human right. While across the globe the United States supports programs developed by the United Nations to support compulsory education for children and youth...we are not so good at upholding the same standard in our own borders. The quality of education largely does depend on your zip code. Whether you can even consider going on to further your education is a privilege in that of itself. Not only is it denied many folks because of their economic stances...it is a journey that is also physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually taxing. Not everyone who starts the journey can finish. Sometimes it is economic or personal situations, and other times it is because of a lack of discipline and focus. But all of this does point to the history of racial discrimination in this country.

Here's something to consider...perhaps mediocrity and prosperity have more to do with discipline and dedication than they do a person's social categories? Perhaps this Supreme Court case just highlights a completely larger systemic issue in this country? Perhaps the fact that America's stake as being the greatest country in the world and offers the best opportunities for its citizens is a hoax? Perhaps we are living in a lie and we are being encouraged to participate in this falsehood and shamed for when we speak truth about it?

America has only ever been a land of unlimited opportunity for those who have the foundation they need to succeed. Perhaps that rock has less to do with a social category so much as it does whether you actually have a support system or not? In the course of over two hundred years...the United States has upheld its end of the bargain to a select few. Everyone else has to either sink or swim. We have all been thrown into an arena and we are supposed to rip and tear each other apart for the bemusement of a few. We are also being lied to and told that if we vote for this politician or that candidate that things will get better. Yet every time we see the outcome.

This is a critical concern for the public. The very foundation of our nation and everything we stand on is being mined out from under us. We are being systemically socialized into a culture with certain processes and procedures that no longer act in the best interest of its citizens. These are created by people who have very little to no concern about us or our fortunes. Affirmative action was a faulty tool. But its critics and proponents-- in my opinion-- are completely missing the point. Everyone is talking about whether it is fair that a tool was developed to allow individuals of certain categories through the door based on their race. Yet we have failed to even acknowledge that the original "affirmative action" created an entire system that doesn't even question whether a particular class of individuals should be considered for the same positions. That is the sinister nature of tribalism. The level of entitlement and egotism is frankly disgusting. If we were actually on a level playing field then Harvard, UNC, and all these other universities wouldn't have needed to implement affirmative action in the first place. If we were in society that cherished meritocracy, we wouldn't be undermining our youth from the moment of their conception. If we truly valued equality and justice...then a child would be accepted into a university because of their performance and not where they came from or who they knew.

If we want to live up to the notion and idea that America is based on meritocracy and justice for all...we need to reorganize, restructure, and reform the very foundations of our society. The transformations that we seek and the nation we want to create can only come about when we do that. The legacy of this nation is rooted in empire and conquest. It is reflective in how we treat the people within our borders. In the discussion of affirmative action and whether it is right or wrong, we are completely missing the point. Our entire system is failing one of the most important groups in our nation...and that is the youth and children. For all this talk about how much we supposedly cherish them and want what is best for them...we sure have a horrible way of showing it. We have created a system where the well-being of entire populations of children are considered less important than others. Even now as public opinion supposedly shifts and the younger generations are more "accepting" of those who are different-- they are being socialized to perpetuate these same ideals.

The end of affirmative action means we need new steps forward. We must use this as a time to reflect and to ask ourselves the kind of world that we want to truly build. Do we really want to continue building one where the opportunities strictly go to those with a certain level of pedigree? Do we want to pursue building a system that overlooks the potential of a child because of their zip code or their outer appearance? Do we want to continue participating in this fantasy that a person's competency should be based on where they went to school, or rather by their ability and expertise? Afterwards, we must put our realizations into action.

We are setting the stage for the same performance but with different actors and crew. But this is a show that is performing on a stage that is no longer sound (if it was at all). America lost its way on the quest to become the "greatest nation in the world." We are creating a society where expertise is frowned on, where mediocrity is the norm, and a narrative based on lies and half-truths justifies the malpractices of a small collection of individuals. These malpractices further continue to do unjust harm on the people they impact. The time to reflect is here and before long we will need to reconsider our course of action. The people of this nation cannot afford to be robbed any further.