Students at UC Berkley have decided to host a bake sale--with prices dependent on race and gender. This is to highlight the controversy over what they have deemed as unequal practices in college admissions, as the state government is considering a bill that would make race and gender possible deciding factors in the admissions process.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Racial Bake Sale
http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/25/
Students at UC Berkley have decided to host a bake sale--with prices dependent on race and gender. This is to highlight the controversy over what they have deemed as unequal practices in college admissions, as the state government is considering a bill that would make race and gender possible deciding factors in the admissions process.
Students at UC Berkley have decided to host a bake sale--with prices dependent on race and gender. This is to highlight the controversy over what they have deemed as unequal practices in college admissions, as the state government is considering a bill that would make race and gender possible deciding factors in the admissions process.
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I was the one that sent this on to Professor Morgan. It was on cnn.com. I think it is a bold move what they are doing and I think it makes sense. As much as people are getting upset about this bake sale, they should be getting upset about the issue at the heart of it, affirmative action. I disagree with giving people a leg up on everyone else because of their race. Don't get me wrong, I think the concept of giving those that are less fortunate a chance, but there's got to be a better way. You shouldn't penalize other students for something that they had no part in.
ReplyDelete-Jeff Lee
Spot on, Jeff. I think it is a very interesting issue, and I agree that it is hard to justify giving admission to college based on race. One of the things that is most interesting to me is the point that the bearded man made about the college kids political party. They are Republican on a very liberal campus. Maybe that is why they have had so much backlash and negative reactions to their protest. They themselves are likely the minority (referring to political ideology) at their school, which makes for a different perspective on the issue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comments already made. I found it quite interesting that people were so radical as to threaten those participating in the bake sale. As JeffLee said, if the bill were to pass, these students would be penalized for something they had no control over. However, did these students send threats to members of the government? Or to others who supported this bill? No, they chose this method to voice their feelings. I wish I could go join in on their sale! Although I am part of the white majority, I feel I am at a great disadvantage in my chances to get into medical school. Schools are required to accept x amount of females, x amount of this race and x amount of another race, etc. Yes, I want everyone to have a chance. However, I feel that those who are most qualified should be the ones to get accepted. Gender and race are NOT qualifications!
ReplyDeleteAs a Hawaiian and minority I am grateful towards all the opportunities offered to me because of my ethnicity. However, I do not feel that the standards should be lowered in order to meet requirements of race and gender. You need to compete amongst your peers on an equal level not based on gender or race. In the video clip I thought the students were taking a great approach to the situation. They were not being obnoxious they were just trying to state a point. I would definitely buy something, especially since the price was cheap!
ReplyDeleteI think that the bake sale was a very creative response. I believe that affirmative action should be based more on someone's wealth or lack thereof than on color because the color of someone's skin does not effect learning but wealth can (due to standards, helpfulness of parents in school, community, quality of schooling, etc.). I think that something like this would be acceptable in acceptance to undergraduate college but not graduate. When my brother was doing interviews for medical school, he was told if he was Mexican, he would have been accepted on the spot.
ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting that CNN only interviewed those that were offended to represent the population. I am sure that not everyone at the college was upset by this. I'm sure many found it witty and a good representation.