Affirmative Action Programs Education And Employment Essay

Affirmative action (AA) programs began as a management tool designed to ensure equal opportunity both in education and employment in the United States for members of underrepresented racial groups. There are numerous amounts of evidence to support that affirmative action programs have done exactly what they were established to do, but like with â€Å"any government policy that gives a positive meaning to some non-class non economic group difference†(Steinberg : 270) there are critics, who fail to see the positive side of AA programs. Did affirmative action programs actually cause more separation within groups of different ethnicities inside (and outside) University campuses instead of encouraging equality among all students? Or does the idea of racial â€Å"advantages† cause those who are not considered minorities to rebel and cause unwarranted complications for individuals benefiting from AA programs? In education, all affirmative action programs truly do is give the opportunity of higher education to those who would ordinarily not have the chance, but they do not crack open the books, do the work, or pass the tests. The real work is done by the students who are given the chance to grow and learn within the walls of some of the most prestigious universities in the United States. It is an opportunity some of them may not have had in different circumstances. The term â€Å"affirmative action† actually first appeared in the National Labor Relations Act, better known as the WagnerShow MoreRelatedAffirmative Action Programs Should Be Legal1320 Words   |  6 Pagesorganizations involves with affirmative action programs in order to improve opportunities or provide compensations for individuals that belong to omitted groups in the U.S history. While affirmative action programs are prevalent in a numerous of fields, employment and education are the two most active fields that focus on the affirmative action. In many associations and other cases, the affirmative action can be considered as a series of privileged programs. These programs will offer historically excludedRead MoreThe Objectives of Affirmative Action Policies Essay1039 Words   |  5 PagesAffirmative action policies actively initiate efforts for organizations and companies to provide more opportunities for historically discriminated groups in our society (Affirmative Action: Overview.). These policies usually focus on education and employment (Affirmative Action: Overview.). When it comes to college level education, affirmative action usually mentions admission protocols that give equal admittance to education for groups that were discriminated against throughout history (AffirmativeRead MoreAffirmative Action For African Americans1478 Words   |  6 PagesOliveira 1 Lucas Oliveira Ms. Alonso English 8 Honors 7 March 2015 Affirmative Action Have you ever wondered why all companies have employees of all races? Affirmative Action sought to give African Americans workers and minorities equal access to education and employment which was previously denied to them. It makes companies and schools give equal access to minorities. Affirmative Action is a topic that has been in government officials minds for a long time. Between 1870-1900, many African AmericansRead MoreAffirmative Action And The Civil Rights And Equal Opportunity Legislation Of The 1960s958 Words   |  4 PagesAffirmative action is a program that serves to rectify the effects of purportedly past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and opportunities to minorities and women. Affirmative action programs were an outgrowth of the 1950s and 1960s civil rights movements and the Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity legislation of the 1960s. Close to fifty years later, the practice of affirmative action has been at the vanguard of intense debate more than any other time in its history. Hardly a week goesRead MoreAffirmative Action : Discrimination And Discrimination Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesWHAT IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Affirmative action can be described as positive discrimination. It is an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education. Affirmative action means taking positive steps to end discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, and to creative new opportunities that were previously denied minorities and women. Affirmative action itself has been defined as any measure, beyond simple termination of a discriminatoryRead MoreEssay on We Still Need Affirmative Action512 Words   |  3 Pagesaim of equality of opportunity through nondiscrimination alone to affirmative action to establish ‘goals and timetables’ to achieve absolute equality between blacks and whites† (Dye 253). These goals and timetables were cemented with Executive Order No. 11246, issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. This order is commonly referred to as the foundation for modern-day affirmative action programs. Today, affirmative action is a very controversial subject, with as many opponents as there areRead MoreThe Equal Employment Opportunity Act1119 Words   |  5 PagesThe Equal Employment Opportunity Act or, EEO Act of 1972, established a goal to make racial, ethnic, and gender minorities on the same level of white males in employment (â€Å"Equal Employment†). This was because of t he dominance that white males held in the workplace and the struggle for minorities to get and keep a job, sometimes due to discrimination. Through this act, Affirmative Action was established to ensure that a certain amount of minorities were able to get a quality education and to get jobsRead MoreEssay about Affirmative Action1384 Words   |  6 PagesAffirmative Action has been an issue of contention since its inception during the Civil Rights struggles of mid 20th century America. Discrimination could no longer be tolerated and the Unites States government had an obligation to encourage equality at all levels of the social infrastructure. The main type of discrimination being addressed by Affirmative Action programs was racial discrimination. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines racism as: ‘a belief that race is the primary determinant ofRead MoreNecessity of Affirmative Action Essay1096 Words   |  5 PagesIt is illegal to institute quotas and to fulfill them solely based on the race or gender of the applicant in any affirmative action programs. Employers and schools are required to set goals and time frames, for hiring or recruiting women and minorities to achieve racial diversity. Due to under representation of African Americans, women and minorities, affirmative action was created. It was created to ensure the inclusion of all qualified individuals and to prevent race and gender discrimination.Read MoreAffirmative Action Necessary or Unnecessary? Essay1000 Words   |  4 PagesAffirmative Action was centered around 1961 because women and minorities were being discriminated against. By definition, affirmative action is â€Å"the encouragement of increased representation of women and minority-group members, especially in employment† (Dictionary.com). The main controversy of affirmative action is whether or not it is still necessary, and if it should be abolished all together. It was originally intended to benefit cultural groups tha t were thought to suffer from discrimination