EQUALITY: The California State Senate allowed voters to repeal Proposition 209, thus enabling California’s state government institutions to discriminate based on race, sex or ethnicity.
By Chance Ornelas-Skarin, Staff Writer
Don’t you get tired of jellybeans sometimes? Now that Easter is over, many jellybeans from the plastic Easter eggs your siblings or perhaps younger cousins found have been devoured. One thing I have noticed about such jellybeans is the way we classify them. Red seems to represent a common sweetness, perhaps the flavor of cherry or fruit punch. But what if the red jellybean was actually a lemony, sour-tasting treat that took you by surprise? As soon as its dry surface made contact with your tongue, you would spit it out because of its unexpected and undesired taste. Would you trust your system of jellybean classification then? No. Of course not. And just like this jellybean classification, affirmative action could also produce unexpected and unpleasant results.
The main issue that concerns supporters of repealing Prop 209 is the statistics that show Asian and white ethnicities are far more prevalent in higher-ranking State Universities. However, the solution to creating equality is not leveling the playing field based on race; it is socioeconomic
status that must be observed. When trying to make economic mobility a fair and obtainable goal through higher education we must favor those that are the most disadvantaged. Being disadvantaged is not being African-American or Hispanic, it is lacking financial resources and a stable lifestyle, regardless of race. The true
solution is not just trying to aid races without a historic head start but to aid those people in disadvantaged families trying to do better financially than their parents for the sake of their own future children.
In 2010 a study by Century Foundation showed that black students compared to white students scored 59 points lower on the SAT. Additionally, those in a low socioeconomic position compared to those in high ones scored 399 points less. So what does this tell us? Socioeconomic status has a greater effect than race.
According to Business Insider, on average, whites and Asians retain the highest median wages compared to blacks and Hispanics. While blacks and Hispanics retain the lowest statistical averages in socioeconomic status, one must not forget that these are all averages and that for every person higher than the median wage for white, Asian, African or Hispanic Americans, there is always someone below it. That is the problem with racial preferences; not all African American people are poor, just like not all white Americans are rich. The real people in need are the ones who work hard for better futures but can’t afford them.