I will tell my tale in sequential order so that you can relate to what I witnessed.
About 3 years ago the African-American alumni who are connected to a large, White majority state school agreed to form a national network of Black Alumni local chapters. The goal was to lobby the school so that it might reconsider its slow erosion of Affirmative Action programs. The theory was that if we could bring more money to the university then in the way of scholarships and increased alumni memberships that they would listen to our demands.
At our kickoff meeting various members of our local chapter told the audience how things were "back in the day". During the mid-70's in particular the school was awash in Black freshmen as the Affirmative Action program was in full swing. Shortly thereafter they noted the problem with basic skills and they implemented a remedial learning program as a means of preparing the minority students to successfully compete in college.
In the past 5 years our university has shifted strategy. Instead of funding the program described above, their data shows that they should offer scholarships for high performing minority students and travel the nation seeking to draw them in. Bottom line - students who were successful in high school appear to repeat their study habits and show a greater track record of success in college.
In listening to the conversations that spread around the room during this first session I recall one Black male that I know say:
"If the admissions standards that they are proposing right now were in place when I attended......I never would have gotten in. I am now a doctor. I serve as proof that the school should look at providing opportunity rather than increasing the barriers to minority education."
As an opponent to Affirmative Action in the assignment of freshman seats - this testimony was rather compelling.
Fast forward to today.
There was a recent gathering of alumni from our school. There was general conversation about how much our school has changed both in the manner of physical plant as well as with regard to the academic rigor that they enforce.
As the conversation got around to a WHITE MAN - I was floored at what HE said:
"If the academic standards for admissions were as high back when I applied as they are now ----- I WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE SCHOOL"
I assure you that few of the people who attended BOTH SESSIONS 'got it' as I did.
(Let me spell it out for you).
When "The Blacks" gathered together when it was "only us chickens" the focus was on how these increased standards negatively impacted the RACIAL MAKE UP of the school. There was hint of a RACIAL CONSPIRACY to PURGE BLACK FOLKS as the school sought to expand upon its "elite status".
Now a WHITE MAN said the very same words but HE made note on how he got off to a rocky start regarding his education but was thankful for the opportunity to grow into who he is now. He, of course, did not blame RACE as the limiting factor regarding why he would not be admitted today. Instead he used this as evidence of how much our school is now nationally regarded as a top ranked academic institution.
Can someone explain to me HOW two groups of people, focusing upon the very same phenomenon come up with such wildly different "theories"?
3 comments:
CF~As much as it pains me to say this, as a people we are our own worst enemy even though we are well intentioned. Why wouldn't we encourage our children to rise to the occasion rather than expecting these institutions to lower their admission standards for us. Isn't that tantamount to admitting that we are not as intelligent or as capable. This has always been my problem with affirmative action (and I am in no way implying that I have not been the recipient of it) but how can we expect the majority to look at us as equals when we are given a handicap? I think this is a double-edged sword as I find arguments for affirmative action compelling. I don't understand parents who would even let their children believe for one second that they couldn't compete on the same intellectual playing field as white children. I would feel that I failed my child if she couldn't perform well on standardized test due to racial bias. Our jobs as parents are to turn out well rounded children who realize that the world is larger than the black community (which is part of the reason that I disappointed in her decision to go to Spelman)
@ CBW - She's a kid, she's going to choose the easiest path.
Sometimes being "THE" Black person gets old.
@ CF - Low self esteem (or a false self esteem) by many is the answer to the question on race.
CBW:
Spelman is a good school. Atlanta as a city offers much opportunity for your daughter to get into a larger world of different hues.
I would be more concerned about the leftist indoctrination that takes place within the AU Center than about issues related to racial diversity.
There is a far greater problem with the lack of IDEOLOGICAL diversity in these places that have high concentrations of Black people than there is an issue with race.
In this same alumni gathering I witnessed how Democratic cliques worked. There was a steady stream of Democratic politicians that streamed through. (Actually let me stop right here and make this into a separate post so I can go into more detail)
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