These students want to abandon non-racist policies and replace them with racist versions. Their argument is essentially that racist policies are acceptable if they help under-represented people.
Cornell faculty-student group demands racial quotas, criticizes ‘colorblind’ practices
They are buoyed by Dr. Ibram Kendi, the leader of Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research, who is touted in the same article supporting discrimination as a tool for creating racial equality. However, such discriminatory quotas will not resolve the root cause of the problem, and will introduce their own negative consequences.
Many universities have a race-neutral admissions policy. Why then is it assumed that race is the cause of admission disparities? It is not race that is preventing students of color from being admitted to these schools but rather readiness as measured by coursework, grades and standardized test results. If universities adopt a racial quota system for admissions then student readiness will not have to improve, since students would only have to compete within their own race for admissions. Readiness will not rise, and could actually fall. Would this be good for students?
And how should we deal with the disparity of readiness between students that a race-based quota system might cause? Should we have different classes based on preparedness? Would these classes likely fall among racial lines? How do you think this would impact race opinions on campus?
And what if we take this to the extreme, where students of some races have a generally different course set and grading criteria, all in the name of graduating more under-representing students? Do you think that this will go unnoticed by employers? What effect do you think this might have on their hiring practices? Do you think this will foster inclusivity – or racism?
The correct solution for under-represention in universities is not to establish racial quotas; it is instead to find the root cause of the under-representation and attack that problem directly. If readiness is an issue then we need to find out why and provide resources likely to overcome it. This will bring students up to the expected level, rather than having different levels based on race, and eliminate the potential negative consequences of a racial quota admissions system.
The fact of the matter is that racial quotas – like affirmative action programs – can establish a disparity between the qualifications of some students or graduates, creating an opportunity for racial bias. This is the exact opposite of the stated goals of such a quota system, and as a result these quota systems should be avoided. We should work instead to find the root cause of admissions disparities and then solve those issues directly.