While violations of the law still unfortunately occur, there are few credible persons who believe that any group of people should be discriminated against because of the race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc.
However, your text did not address Affirmative Action, one of the programs that impact employment where there are hotly debated issues upon which reasonable people can disagree. It originated from an executive order to suppliers of goods and services to the federal government, and includes those agencies like colleges and universities who receive funding from the federal government (i.e., research grants and financial aid).
The link below takes you to the Dept. of Labor page where you can view the official description of Affirmative Action requirements and programs. While the document speaks for itself, here’s a quote from President Lyndon Johnson that captures the essence of the idea behind the development affirmative action programs. “You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say you are free to compete with all the others, and still just believe that you have been completely fair.”
The main arguments against affirmative action efforts revolve around reverse discrimination and the effectiveness of these programs in the short and long run.
http://www.dol.gov/general/topic/hiring/affirmativeact
The next two links will take you to pages that purport to present the arguments for and against affirmative action programs. Please take the time to review them carefully.
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/affirmative_action.htm
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~jesan20l/classweb/pright.html
Of course, you are welcome to research other sites as well, but be warned that many do not even attempt to be balanced in their presentation of the topic. Even worse, some seem to actively conceal their intent.
Your assignment is to produce a short paper that addresses the following topics. As I mentioned before, these are debatable issues, so your answer will rarely be considered “right” or “wrong”. The point is to not only have you be familiar with the issues, but to encourage you to understand, while not necessarily agree, with those who hold differing opinions. As always, your expression of your thoughts in a college level manner is expected and required. Please label each response with the corresponding number below.
- Overall, are you in favor of affirmative action programs or opposed to them? Provide a rationale for your position.
- Which of the arguments you’ve read about that take a position contrary to yours do you feel are worthy of consideration? What ideas do you have that might be put into practice to address these concerns?
- If, in #1, you expressed support for these programs, address the concept of how long they should be in place. Answers could range from “until no discrimination exists” to “next year”.
If, in #1, you expressed dissatisfaction with these programs, what alternative do you have that would take their place in instances where disparate treatment or disparate impact have been identified as having taken place?
Whatever your position, please provide a rationale for it.
