California's SB 185: Colleges To Use Race/Gender As Part of Admissions Process.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The idea behind this legislation is insane and doomed for failure.

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http://stompmud.com/2011/09/california-sb-185-telling-us-that-race-does-matter/

No sooner do we finish publishing our article the other day on how America needs to work towards eliminating the hyphenation of American based on their race, does California come up with a bill that would force colleges and universities to discriminate against students based on their race and/or gender.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, be rest assured that you will soon hear more about California’s SB 185. The bill that would allow State colleges and universities to consider race, cultural background, income status, and other factors in order to create a more diverse educational structure. The intention of the bill is to try and create an environment that is a better reflection of the diversity of the state of California. Partial text of the bill is as follows:

© (1) Pursuant to subdivision (b), the University of California

may, and the California State University may, consider race, gender,

ethnicity, national origin, geographic origin, and household income,

along with other relevant factors, in undergraduate and graduate

admissions, so long as no preference is given. This consideration may

take place if and when the university, campus, college, school, or

program is attempting to obtain educational benefit through the

recruitment of a multifactored, diverse student body. It is the

intent of the Legislature that this provision be implemented to the

maximum extent permitted by the decision of the United States Supreme

Court in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) 539 U.S. 306, in which the

court stated that the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment

to the United States Constitution does not prohibit a university’s

“narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions to further a

compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow

from a diverse student body,” and in conformity with Section 31 of

Article I of the California Constitution.

After reading all of SB 185, we can only come to the conclusion that the state of California only has the best intentions in mind with the creation of this legislation. However, we do find that this legislation is greatly misguided and part of the precise problems we mentioned in; Black & White: Why American Can’t Escape The Race Card.

The mentality behind this type of legislation is that a more diverse campus will be formed and everything will work out to where more opportunities will be created for minorities. That it will also provide a scenario to show students how it might look out in the real world where their city is very diverse racially and culturally. Unfortunately while attempting to create this scenario, California is ignoring its major problems of why it’s creating this type of educational environment in the first place. The fact that neighborhoods and schools that are predominantly full of minorities are under-performing in the state.

Instead of the state of California coming up with a real educational solution to help those who live in poor neighborhoods with broken schools, their answer is to reward students later in life and expose them to a much tougher learning environment that they may not be ready for. SB 185 even sets these students up for failure with a specific line from the legislation:

(2) Consider the use of criteria and procedures that allow

students to enroll who are otherwise fully eligible and admissible

but who have course deficiencies due to circumstances beyond their

control, and, when appropriate, provide that the admission requires

the student to make up the deficiency.

So what California is basically saying is that they understand that kids come from these horrible backgrounds, but if they don’t shape up on their own and make up their ‘deficiency,’ then they can be removed just as easily as they got let in. This is almost a backhanded way of making sure that this diversity program fails from the onset. How can it be expected of students that come from poor neighborhoods, under-performing schools, and don’t have the quality general education that others would have, to come in and do just as well as every other student on campus. For most students that would be brought in, they more than likely would not be able to handle it. There are always those few; even as they do in the under-performing schools, that still excel, but most students need that extra guidance, need a proper learning structure, and need to have compassion in the way they are taught.

California has 188 under-performing schools. With 188 schools that are not meeting the criteria to even be acceptable, the state has an even bigger problem than worrying about what the racial makeup of their college campus’ is. The state should be looking more towards rectifying the problems in their schools and trying to create a better environment for students to learn in. An environment that would help prepare them for college entrance exams and make it to where they can be competitive as well. What good is giving a student an opportunity if they can’t even apply the basic skills once they get accepted to college. This is a failure on the part of the state and one that they cannot afford to ignore if they ever dream of SB 185 being successful.

Let’s look at the other angle of SB 185. The fact that it’s going to cause colleges to discriminate against students who have worked extra hard to get where they are going. It’s not common place to feel sorry for the white student who gets rejected and replaced by a black student. There should be no reason to feel sorry for that white student either, if the black student has the same academic credentials. That’s not always the case however due to affirmative action and would be abused even further under SB 185. In California a tide might actually turn however and the discrimination could end up being against the Latino community. 37.6% of California’s population is Latino, while 40% of it is white. It’s a fair assumption that if a college campus has met its Latino and white quota under SB 185, that even Latino students could be rejected in favor of other racial or cultural minorities. Asian-Americans for example make up 13% of the population and if they are not represented appropriately on the college campus, then the admissions department would have to reject Latino applications until the Asian quota was met.

Perhaps it’s all hyperbolic in stating that these issues would occur. Most of the time this would be the case in a scenario like this, except for one fact about SB 185. That is the fact that every state college and university upon passing of this bill must report how ‘diverse’ their campus is directly to the state legislature and governor on their implementation of the bill. That fact alone screams for major discrimination cases on all fronts. It ultimately creates a situation as well that groups could file lawsuits against colleges and universities if they are not equally represented in the student body. After all, SB 185 makes careful references to the 14th amendment and supreme court rulings on the matter. That alone should be a warning sign of things to come is this legislation makes it through the legislature and to the governor to become law.

California is treading in dangerous territory in dealing with the education of students in their state. It’s not wise to setup a new law and program with only good intentions behind it. There needs to be planning and engagement into looking at why there is a discrepancy in their admissions. It’s obvious that certain groups aren’t represented as they should be. The key is to find out why. It comes from long before the admissions process takes place and it’s something that California desperately needs to fix.

We’ve said it before and we will say it again: There is no reason that a college application should have an individual list their race or cultural background. College admissions should be strictly based on academic accomplishments. A college administrator should never know the race of the student to ensure that it is not a determining factor in the admissions process. Now here is California doing just the opposite. We will wait and see if SB 185 survives the state legislature and makes it to the governor’s desk. We know many across the country will be watching as well. Not only for the outcome, but for the aftermath once the legislation has passed.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

That bill is further proof California is a racist state. Racism is running rampant in California these days.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

That bill is further proof California is a racist state. Racism is running rampant in California these days.

I think the worst part is (and the article subtly says this) the fact that they don't realize what they are doing is racist. They think it's all 'feel good' BS without looking at the consequences.

[mawilson 2,133]

That bill is further proof California is a racist state.

Unless you're not white - then it's great.

[The_Dude 1,142]

That bill is further proof California is a racist state. Racism is running rampant in California these days.

Proof positive that you don't even know what racism is. Hows the job search going by the way?

This is actually the first i've heard of this bill. What a horrible idea.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

There is a difference between discrimination and out right racism.

This bill clearly discriminates and should not be passed.

[The_Dude 1,142]

There is a difference between discrimination and out right racism.

This bill clearly discriminates and should not be passed.

I read that a conservative group in Berkeley is being shut down for trying to hold a bake sale to defeat this measure. According to their posters, at the back sale, white people would be charged the most for cookies while native americans would pay the least. Source.

It's a stupid bill, and I hope it doesn't pass.

[PantomimeGoose 59]

Measures that promote 'diversity' on college campuses actually discriminate more against people of Asian descent than caucasian these days. Meritocratic schools have student bodies with huge percentages of Asian/Asian-American students whose grades and test scores on average exceed those of their white peers.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

There is a difference between discrimination and out right racism.

This bill clearly discriminates and should not be passed.

Something needs to be done to fight racism in racist California.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Something needs to be done to fight racism in racist California.

The only way to way to fight racism in racist California is to create a nude female race, in which different races race each other to see who is the raciest.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

The only way to way to fight racism in racist California is to create a nude female race, in which different races race each other to see who is the raciest.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

There is a difference between discrimination and out right racism.

This bill clearly discriminates and should not be passed.

Yes...

and, gender, household income, geographic origin and nationality, what?!

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I sure wouldn't want to raise a family in a racist state that also caters to law breaking illegal immigrants and pushes the homosexual agenda in the class rooms of public schools.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I sure wouldn't want to raise a family in a racist state that also caters to law breaking illegal immigrants and pushes the homosexual agenda in the class rooms of public schools.

Pushes the homosexual agenda? Seriously? Do you really think that gay people have meetings to devise new and inventive ways to somehow turn you gay?

[Danno 1,228]

Pushes the homosexual agenda? Seriously? Do you really think that gay people have meetings to devise new and inventive ways to somehow turn you gay?

He said "classroom".

Do you deny the Homosexuals are not working their little butts off to have a place in the schools of Cal. and every place else they can?