Affirmative action brings cultural heterogeneity to the mundane homogeneity of many school campus and work environments. Cultural diversity in colleges and universities better the education of the students and better prepare them for life past college by exposing them to various types of thinking, living, and believing. Surrounding students with others who are too similar only aids in perpetuating stereotypes and halts the introduction of fresh perspectives. If the purpose of higher education is to better society, then colleges must provide as many opportunities as possible to experience and gain knowledge of many types of societies.

Diversity furthermore isn’t just about race. It includes social status, financial situation, parents’ jobs, and many other factors. Race is just one factor, albeit the poster child one, in the case for affirmative action. In the Supreme Court case, Gratz vs. Bollinger, the judges concluded that “effective participation by members of all racial and ethnic groups in the civic life of our nation is essential for the progress of our nation.” They also agreed that student diversity at colleges and universities “better prepares students for an increasingly diverse workforce and society, and better prepares them as professionals” Also, www.civilrights.org states that “diversity of our college campuses is critical to the future strength of our society and our economy.”Affirmative action closes the gap between the minorities and the majority. Many opponents of affirmative action have stated that there is no income, education, or job gap between the minorities and the majority. However, the Washington Post recently stated that minorities still lag behind in almost every category. Diversifying in higher education will therefore hopefully bridge the gap in other sectors as well. All in all, affirmative action enhances the college education as well as the college environment, which is why it should not be banned.


Joe Kim(La Canada High School, 12th Grade)