Now that the Supreme Court has abolished Affirmative Action programs at U.S. Colleges and Universities, I thought I might opine on the subject. While I have long supported Affirmative Action, I must admit to having had one significant reservation.
My primary concern was that the program addressed inequality of opportunity at a stage that was too late to produce a reliable impact. I favored (and still do) intervention in childhood with free day care and improved early childhood education. Of course, this must be followed by access to good primary and secondary schools and fortified by social support (including nutritional, recreational and cultural programs).
This is a complex but achievable approach to equality in a wealthy country such as ours. Once Americans apply to college on an equal footing, affirmative action need not exist. Unfortunately, that utopia has yet to evolve, partly due to entrenched racism. For now, colleges must focus on improving diversity among their professors, employees and students and ensure financial aid for those who qualify.
