混淆平权法案的教授

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8020 PAC-1317  10/09   16903  
5.0/2 


Know the differences between apples & oranges


The Folly of a Professor

   A Univ. of Calf., Riverside professor of public policy and political science, KARTHICK RAMAKRISHNAN, did a poll asking a question about affirmative action (AA):

"Do you favor or oppose affirmative action programs designed to help blacks, women and other minorities get better jobs and education?"

   He found 69% AsAms supporting AA.  Even among Chinese Ams. 60% are in support.

   This professor THEREBY concluded that "These findings point to the likelihood that the opposition to SCA-5 was probably the result of selective mobilization among those Asian American voters opposed to the measure, rather than a sign of drastically shifting opinion among Asian American voters against affirmative action"

   The above interpretation of the poll was actually published as an op-ed page article  at LA Times. 

     I was amazed & amused.  Does such a jump in logic pass as scholarly research now?  The following is my answer to the conclusions of this professor:

   "Amazing.  This professor doesn't seem to know the difference between AA and "race conscious" college admissions.   The Stop-SCA 5 was focused on "race-conscious" admissions only.  It was NOT about AA in general.

    Affirmative action is broad, it includes (1) employment, (2) government contracts and (3) college/school admissions.  AA is, as the poll has phrased it, "designed to HELP blacks, women and other minorities get better jobs and education?"   However, "race-conscious" college admissions is only one of the 3 components of AA.  In addition, it turns out to HURT Asian Americans, blacks and Hispanics.  Asian-Am students had to give white college applicants 140 points on the SAT in order to gain equal access to first-tier colleges. Black and Hispanics students were HURT by the "academic mis-match" phenomenon - needing to switch out of STEM & law majors.  

   In other words, the "race-conscious" college admissions policy is ANTI-affirmative.  That was why stop-SCA-5 succeeded. 

    The poll was done correctly.  The professor just doesn't know how to interpret it. There is a lesson here.  One needs to know the differences between apples and oranges."  

   Pass this e-newsletter to students at UC, Riverside so that they may know whose courses NOT to take, for his demonstrated lack of clear-thinking.  :-)
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    SELF (Self Empowerment Long-term Fund) has 2 years to raise $1 million/yr for 5 years so that MONEY will talk for us politically.  SELF is only 15 days from its first anniversary.   It has only raised $354,000/yr  for 5 years or is 25% behind the schedule.  

     Want to do your share to make sure that your children enjoy equal opportunity?  DONATE here.  Many thanks.
S. B. Woo, a volunteer 
President, 80-20 National Asian American Educational Foundation, Inc.
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org