In 2006, the state of Michigan passed a public referendum that barred the preferential treatment of college applicants based on gender or race. This move against a practice commonly referred to as “affirmative action” was later contested in court, and has now come before the Supreme Court of the United States. In this issue’s Hawk Talk, we asked students how they felt about the idea of partiality due to non-qualification based attributes.
“I feel like the idea of it is good, but when it comes to terms that a less qualified person might get the job than a white person, then I think it’s unfair in that way.”
“I can kind of see both sides. I think that affirmative action is good, because it’s trying to make everything equal, but at the same time it’s unfair. There’s always going to be someone excluded.”
“It grants many people opportunities and advantages based on the color of their skin. Programs like these no more hold our nation back from racial equality than they do to promote it.”