A634.4.4.RB_TAYLORHEATHER

Affirmative Action

The term Affirmative Action often is associated with the Civil Rights Movement or admission into college based on race.  This is a misinterpretation of the current legislative policies surrounding "Affirmative Action."  According to the Department of Labor (2016), "For federal contractors and subcontractors, affirmative action must be taken by covered employers to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans." (para. 1) The National Conference of State Legislatures (2014) defines Affirmative Action as " policies...in which an institution or organization actively engages in efforts to improve opportunities for historically excluded groups in American society" (para. 1).

Would people have such a negative view about Affirmative Action if they thought of veterans first? Why is race the main discussion point offered by many when debating Affirmative Action? LaFollette (2007) has an entire chapter devoted to the topic as it relates to ethics, even after spending an entire chapter on race. Within the text, every single page of the chapter on Affirmative Action speaks of "Blacks" as a group.  There is no focus on other qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities or covered veterans.  If the mission of the LaFollette (2007) text is to speak solely of affirmative action and blacks, would a more appropriate title for the chapter been "Black Affirmative Action?" By focusing only on Blacks, there is a further segregation of the single race from other minority populations which have been harmed by the majority.  There is little to no mention of Native American populations, which have experienced generational harm from Anglo-Saxon Protestants for arguably an equal, if not greater, number of years.  Entire tribes of people were slaughtered, yet no mention in the text. Is this racial bias?

To provide a greater picture or understanding of Affirmative Action as it relates to ethics, it is important to discuss all groups that are covered under the legislation.  While the movement may have started during the Civil Rights era, where segregation was being conquered, it has evolved into something much greater, with a much larger impact on society in America.  Making the argument into a literal "Black and White" issue takes away from the advances achieved by the legislation for women, persons with disabilities and military veterans.

After reading the text and articles on the legislation, Affirmative Action legislation is continuing to provide opportunities for advancement among minority populations and those who otherwise may receive unequal treatment in the workplace (i.e. persons with disabilities or veterans).  Personally, I am thankful for the legislation.  LaFollette (2007) offers, "No legal regulation, no matter how valuable, is perfect" (p. 98).  There is still much to be achieved when it comes to balancing the provisions and expectations of Affirmative Action.  "A key question [about affirmative action] is the extent to which institutions should allow race and ethnicity to counterbalance the conventional measures. Of course, the same question must be raised about admission preferences granted to the children of donors or alums" (Minowitz, 2016, p. 149).

DOL. (2016). Affirmative Action. United States Department of Labor.  Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/hiring/affirmativeact

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Minowitz, P. (2016). Rescuing "diversity" from affirmative action and campus activists. Perspectives on Political Science, 45(3), 147-162. doi:10.1080/10457097.2016.1181894

NCSL. (2014). Affirmative Action: Overview.  National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/affirmative-action-overview.aspx.