Poor communities have worse public schools, fewer educational programs, etc. They have less access to education and thus have a harder time to excel in it. Affirmative action from my understanding was a way to offset the systemic racism favoring rich white communities. I don’t think it’s a good solution but removing it without a decade of solving the underlying issues and seeing the first kids with equal chances make it into university is just a horrible thought. EDIT: typo
I think similar logic to the paradox of tolerance may be applicable here…
It wasn’t a perfect solution, but directly correcting the proportions affected by the systemic problem (using same or similar discriminators as the actual problem) was progress in the right direction. That bigot’s opinion goes the exact wrong direction; the goal should have been to reach a point where there isn’t enough scarcity in higher education for anyone to “lose out”. In other words, the policy should try to make itself unnecessary.
I don’t claim to have the solution to systemic racism, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a reversal of the last half-century’s anti-education trends did a lot of the legwork on that by itself. And if there are still systemic issues to address, hey! Now you have a whole lot more educated folks to help figure out what to do from there.
The solution should have been, and still should be, fixing access to schools at the K-12 level. I’m a huge proponent of school choice, but unfortunately that usually ends up just meaning wealthier people get to choose and poorer people get stuck with whatever has bus service.
So my solution is:
- get rid of school buses entirely in larger cities
- require cities in larger schools to ensure mass transit exists to all schools in the city
- provide free transit passes to all students in the city
- allow students to select their schools with the guidance of a school counselor if parents choose to not get involved
- allow schools to offer apprenticeship programs during the last two years of K-12 school in lieu of a college-track program
- allow college debt to be discharged in bankruptcy
This would hopefully do a few things:
- give kids some control over their education
- provide flexibility for kids who decide they college isn’t for them
- allow a reset of college ends up not working out for them
The goal shouldn’t be getting as many kids into college as possible, but preparing kids for the workforce and post-education life. College is certainly a good path for many, but also it’s not for everyone, and the education system should reflect that.
Basing any assistance on race is a terrible policy that will lead to countless kids falling through the cracks because they weren’t the right color and live in the wrong location. That’s unfair to those kids and it’s clear as day. If wealth inequality is the problem, target wealth inequality, don’t slap on some half-assed racial band-aid.
They have a “systemic” culture problem too that only they can fix. There isnt a Govt. program for that though. It has to come from within. There are success stories coming from poorer communities which means it CAN be done. Millions of people from all walks have escaped poverty and while they may not all end up at Harvard, they’ve done quite well for themselves & didnt use some “fake” merit system to get there. Lifes not fair and wealthy people always have advantages. Its not a race thing either. Rich black people’s kids are better off than poor or middle class white kids too. Thats life. Put effort in and sacrifice a bit. Then, you reap the rewards.
This country has more opportunities than anywhere to make something of yourself. Color is irrelevant and only used as a “victim” ploy by politicians.
Remarkable that it only took one reply for the mask to come all the way off.
I hope someday the universe puts you on the receiving end of some equally bigoted bullshit so you get at least a chance at self-awareness.
Okay, there is so much to unpack here. Poorer communities have a few success stories so they don’t need the same support? Rich people will always have it easier so no need to do anything about it? “They” have a culture problem? Sounds like victim blaming to me.
It feels like you are not arguing in good faith so I will withdraw from this discussion.
