Affirmative Action: Encouraging Diversity or Discrimination?

Affirmative Action    (noun)

The practice of improving the educational and job opportunities of members of groups that have not been treated fairly in the past because of their race, sex, etc.  -Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The term "affirmative action" was first used by President John F. Kennedy in Executive Order 10925 on March 6, 1961 which stated that the government must "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin." On September 24, 1965, President Lydon B. Johnson expanded upon affirmative action with Executive Order 11246 which prohibits discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Affirmative action policies, though controversial, are not only common in the work force, but the educational system as well. The arguments for and against affirmative action in both the workforce and educational system are similar. While racial quotas have been ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in both the hiring and admissions process, race can still be taken into consideration during both processes.

Proponents of the use of affirmative action in college admissions argue that affirmative action helps minority students, particularly those from lower-income families, get opportunities they may not have otherwise been given. Supporters give credit to affirmative action policies for the exponential increase in minority employment in the United States since the 1960's. A common argument for affirmative action in the admissions process is that it encourages diversity on campus which is a better reflection of American society and benefits all students. Similarly, proponents of the use of affirmative action in hiring often argue that a diverse workforce is better for providing goods and services to a diverse national and global market.

Those opposed to affirmative action policies argue that these policies cause reverse discrimination by favoring one group over another purely based on their minority status rather than their skills and achievements. The reverse discrimination argument is based on the belief that affirmative action causes highly-qualified individuals to be overlooked because they are not a part of a minority group, which leaves white applicants at a disadvantage in the hiring and admission processes.  In fact, some even argue that affirmative action encourages racial prejudice, causing people to be mistreated based on the belief that they only achieved their success because of their minority status.

Affirmative action has been a highly controversial subject since its conception and no doubt will continue to be the subject of debate for many years to come.