Affirmative action is needed because of the serious disadvantage women and minorities have suffered in the workplace and in education. Affirmative action programs often come with a question of fairness, but the modest advantages to minorities and women that affirmative action provides are just small stepping stones towards the goal of equality. Affirmative action, is a government program to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination. The program does this by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as women and minorities. Affirmative action focuses mainly on education and jobs. It has policies requiring active measures to be taken to ensure that minorities and women enjoy the same opportunities for promotions, salary increases, school admissions, scholarships and financial aid. This program has been instituted to be a temporary remedy to level the playing field for all Americans. How do we begin to eliminate discrimination, whether it is in education or the workplace? In light of the continuing attacks on affirmative action the goal to achieve diversity is still far from our grasp.
Affirmative action is the process that has been instituted to level the playing field in order to promote equality and fairness. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 reaffirmed a federal governments commitment to affirmative actionto encompass any person who was socially disadvantaged. (www.infoplease.com) It has not yet leveled the playing field, but it has made it possible for all to compete. Many people in society believe that minorities and women will be treated fairly if affirmative action is not instituted. This is not the case. Discrimination against minorities and women is not an individual issue, but a system issue.
When the systems in America are completely free of bias then affirmative action will no longer need to be instituted. Unfortunately, that day has not arrived. I can compare affirmative action to soccer, a game I have played my whole life. When playing in a soccer game it is best to play on a field that contains good short grass and is very level. When playing on a field with dry grass and that is un-level, the game does not flow as smoothly, and therefore the teams with the un-level dry fields are at a disadvantage. American society today continues to have a dry, un-level playing field. The areas that are uneven focus mainly on women and people of color who are trying to attain social and economic equality as to better their status of living.
By taking care of the dry soccer fields and leveling them off, the chance for women and minorities to score a goal becomes easier. Equality and inequality do not occur without someone complaining. For minorities and women talk about their inequality in the job market and education is a start in the direction to make progress. Affirmative action has produced many benefits for women, minority entrepreneurs, students and workers. In the most recent issue of the Journal of Economic Literature, a survey done by Harry Hoolzer and David Neumark, provided a review of scientific studies on affirmative action. One statistic stated that employers adopting the affirmative action policy increased the relative number of women and minority employees by an average of between ten and fifteen percent.
Also Affirmative action has helped boost the percentage of blacks attending college by a factor of three. Most Americans understand how the un-level playing field came about. Those individuals who are politically empowered to effect change know how to level the field for all to enjoy the game. The way to level the field is through affirmative action. Because minorities and women have a perception that the system provides an edge to white males, then they will also have a perception that the system must change if they are to receive benefits of equal opportunity for jobs and access to colleges and universities. It is important for all Americans, regardless of race, sex or ethnicity to know that there is equal opportunity for them. However this will only happen if they continue to level the playing field. The Holzer-Neumark survey shows that admission to college through affirmative action has produced significant social benefits.
One example they used was the fact that black doctors choose to serve minority or inner city patients. Affirmative action is about giving the disadvantaged a little bit of help to develop and balance their potential, if they do this they in turn will aid in a better future for their community. Critics of affirmative action may argue that the program promotes reverse discrimination or that is overshadows the true abilities of minorities and women. This is not the case. Affirmative action can be misused, but when used for its sole purpose the program leads the way for a prosperous America. Holze, Harry; Neumark, David Affirmative Action. The Journal of Economic Literature Corrigan, Robert.
Diversity, Public Perception and Institutional Voice. Liberal Education 81, no.2 Dross, Theodore. What if there was no Affirmative Action in College Admissions Further Refinement of Our Earlier Calculations. Journal of Blacks in Higher Education Weinstein, Michael A Reassuring Scorecard for Affirmative Action. New York Times on the Web 17 Oct. 2000. 6 November 2000 Affirmative Action. *http:www.infoplease.com.