Affirmative action, diversity, and racial justice: Reflections from a diverse, non-elite university. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blum, Lawrence
• Other Names: Sardoc Mitja guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Theory and research in education. Volume 14:Number 3(2016:Nov.)
• Page Start: 348
• Page End: 362
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Affirmative action -- black and Latino students -- diversity -- non-elite colleges; Education -- Research -- Periodicals; Education -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 370.1
• DOI: 10.1177/1477878516680400
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-8785

Abstract

In this article, I argue (1) affirmative action diverts attention from more urgent needs of racial justice in education – better quality K-12 education, and better quality and more accessible public higher education; (2) the increasing wealth of students at affirmative action institutions is a sign of diminished quality of those students compared to those at less selective institutions, who are comparatively disproportionately black and Latino; and (3) aligning the standard rankings of colleges with the quality of student (and quality of instruction at the different kinds of institution) would benefit black and Latino students as a group much more than affirmative action does.