Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking

What are the perspectives?Can I verify their statements?

How do I build my own understanding?

What are the perspectives?Can I verify their statements?

How do I build my own understanding?

What are the perspectives?What are the perspectives?

• Who is making statements in the article?

• How does their perspective shape the position they take?

• Who is making statements in the article?

• How does their perspective shape the position they take?

Can I verify the statements?

Can I verify the statements?

• Are the statements in the article accurate?

• How might they be presenting information to support their points while excluding information that does not?

• Are the statements in the article accurate?

• How might they be presenting information to support their points while excluding information that does not?

How do I put together my own version?

How do I put together my own version?

• Develop an understanding of the competing viewpoints.

• Establish the accuracy of the statements.• Wikipedia?

• Use multiple sources.• Remember that the sources will follow the

perspective of the authors, so you have to take the authors’ intentions into account.

• Develop an understanding of the competing viewpoints.

• Establish the accuracy of the statements.• Wikipedia?

• Use multiple sources.• Remember that the sources will follow the

perspective of the authors, so you have to take the authors’ intentions into account.

Exam QuestionExam Question• As a result of the cooperation between the

Federal Housing Authority and real estate developers, what is TRUE about the conditions of African-Americans today?• Civil Rights legislation eliminating discrimination in

housing has led to equality of opportunity for whites and minorities.

• African-American net worth (wealth) lags behind whites.• African-Americans who have similar wealth and income

as whites still lag behind whites in rates of college graduation.

• b and c.

• As a result of the cooperation between the Federal Housing Authority and real estate developers, what is TRUE about the conditions of African-Americans today?• Civil Rights legislation eliminating discrimination in

housing has led to equality of opportunity for whites and minorities.

• African-American net worth (wealth) lags behind whites.• African-Americans who have similar wealth and income

as whites still lag behind whites in rates of college graduation.

• b and c.

Access to EducationAccess to Education

• When we looked at the FHA, their policies had direct impacts on the opportunities for minorities.

• Some are still able to manipulate the system.

• http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/16/us/16scottsdale.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

• When we looked at the FHA, their policies had direct impacts on the opportunities for minorities.

• Some are still able to manipulate the system.

• http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/16/us/16scottsdale.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Affirmative Action in Michigan UniversitiesAffirmative Action in Michigan Universities

• Michigan Ballot Measure bans the use of Race or Gender in college admissions.

• Similar bans in other states have had dramatic effects.• A decade after the California ban, only 2 percent of

this year's freshmen at the University of California, Los Angeles, are black: a 30-year low.

• At Berkeley, the number of blacks in the freshman class plunged by half the year after the ban, and the number of Hispanics nearly as much.

• NY Times “Colleges Regroup After Voters Ban Race Preferences”

• Michigan Ballot Measure bans the use of Race or Gender in college admissions.

• Similar bans in other states have had dramatic effects.• A decade after the California ban, only 2 percent of

this year's freshmen at the University of California, Los Angeles, are black: a 30-year low.

• At Berkeley, the number of blacks in the freshman class plunged by half the year after the ban, and the number of Hispanics nearly as much.

• NY Times “Colleges Regroup After Voters Ban Race Preferences”

What was left inWhat was left in• 10 points - Michigan

resident• 6 points -

Underrepresented Michigan county

• 2 points - Underrepresented state

• 20 points - Socio-economic disadvantage

• 10 points - Michigan resident

• 6 points - Underrepresented Michigan county

• 2 points - Underrepresented state

• 20 points - Socio-economic disadvantage

• 4 points - "Legacy" (parents, step-parents)

• 1 point - Other (grandparents, siblings, spouses)

• 20 points - Scholarship athlete

• 20 points - Provost's discretion

• 4 points - "Legacy" (parents, step-parents)

• 1 point - Other (grandparents, siblings, spouses)

• 20 points - Scholarship athlete

• 20 points - Provost's discretion

White PrivilegeWhite Privilege• Legacies constitute a significant

proportion of students accepted to universities, especially Ivy league schools (10-15%) according to the Economist

• http://economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560

• “Harvard accepts 40% of applicants who are children of alumni but only 11% of applicants generally.”

• http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/20/timep.affirm.action.tm/index.html• http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/golden3.htm

• Legacies constitute a significant proportion of students accepted to universities, especially Ivy league schools (10-15%) according to the Economist

• http://economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560

• “Harvard accepts 40% of applicants who are children of alumni but only 11% of applicants generally.”

• http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/20/timep.affirm.action.tm/index.html• http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/golden3.htm

How do we right historical wrongs?How do we right

historical wrongs?• Why do people attack affirmative action?

• Why do you think people do not attack legacies as vigorously?

• Given the historical inequalities and white privilege, what can be done to provide more equitable access?

• Why do people attack affirmative action?

• Why do you think people do not attack legacies as vigorously?

• Given the historical inequalities and white privilege, what can be done to provide more equitable access?

Why not attack legacies?

Why not attack legacies?

• "Without legacy preference, there would be a significant decrease in giving from a core body of traditional support -- families in which at least a second generation has gone to the institution.”

• http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/golden3.htm

• "Without legacy preference, there would be a significant decrease in giving from a core body of traditional support -- families in which at least a second generation has gone to the institution.”

• http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/golden3.htm

Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action

• Doesn’t affect too many people

• Economic benefits• Improves chances

for success• Compensation for

ancestors’ contributions

• Doesn’t affect too many people

• Economic benefits• Improves chances

for success• Compensation for

ancestors’ contributions

• Special treatment• Should be based

on merit• People are passed

over• Focuses on a

single group• People benefit who

are less qualified

• Special treatment• Should be based

on merit• People are passed

over• Focuses on a

single group• People benefit who

are less qualified

LegaciesLegacies

How many people affected?

How many people affected?

• Whites constitute about 70% of the college population according to the US Census.

• At Berkeley, the number of blacks in the freshman class plunged by half the year after the ban, and the number of Hispanics nearly as much.

• NY Times “Colleges Regroup After Voters Ban Race Preferences”

• Legacies constitute a significant proportion of students accepted to universities, especially Ivy league schools (10-15%) according to the Economist

• http://economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560

• Whites constitute about 70% of the college population according to the US Census.

• At Berkeley, the number of blacks in the freshman class plunged by half the year after the ban, and the number of Hispanics nearly as much.

• NY Times “Colleges Regroup After Voters Ban Race Preferences”

• Legacies constitute a significant proportion of students accepted to universities, especially Ivy league schools (10-15%) according to the Economist

• http://economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560

Special Treatment - PastSpecial Treatment - Past

http://www.farmworkers.org/bracintx.html

Special Treatment - Present

Special Treatment - Present

Equalityvs

Social Justice

Equalityvs

Social Justice

What to do?What to do?• Tax breaks• Improve/equalize funding for schools• Counter discriminatory policies• Social programs to help disadvantaged

• Be color-blind in selection process• Make selection process equal• Base on merit / qualifications• Life’s not fair / Nothing we can do

• Tax breaks• Improve/equalize funding for schools• Counter discriminatory policies• Social programs to help disadvantaged

• Be color-blind in selection process• Make selection process equal• Base on merit / qualifications• Life’s not fair / Nothing we can do

Equality and MeritEquality and Merit• Equality means the same standard

• Equality does not mean that disadvantaged people should no longer be disadvantaged

• Merit ignores inequality that exists.

• Merit implies inferiority is reason for inequality.

• Absolves majority of their white privilege.• Excuses more than just racial inequality.• Powerful maintain their positions in society.

• Equality means the same standard

• Equality does not mean that disadvantaged people should no longer be disadvantaged

• Merit ignores inequality that exists.

• Merit implies inferiority is reason for inequality.

• Absolves majority of their white privilege.• Excuses more than just racial inequality.• Powerful maintain their positions in society.

Equality?Equality?

• Women’s restrooms

• Emergency rooms

• Wheelchair access

• Women’s restrooms

• Emergency rooms

• Wheelchair access

Fairness over “Equality”Fairness over “Equality”• In our society, we have made changes

when someone’s potential or life could be harmed if we do not deal with barriers to access.

• Not about disability, but about fairness of access and being conscious of barriers!

• In our society, we have made changes when someone’s potential or life could be harmed if we do not deal with barriers to access.

• Not about disability, but about fairness of access and being conscious of barriers!

Social JusticeSocial Justice

• Recognizes a problem / inequality

• Takes positive steps to resolve it

• Address income and educational inequalities / discrimination

• Recognizes a problem / inequality

• Takes positive steps to resolve it

• Address income and educational inequalities / discrimination

Social JusticeSocial Justice• The US education system does not teach

social justice.

• We learn about individual achievement and sameness that we confuse for equality.• Color-blindness is NOT equality.• Claims that things must be equal ignore

inequality.

• The US education system does not teach social justice.

• We learn about individual achievement and sameness that we confuse for equality.• Color-blindness is NOT equality.• Claims that things must be equal ignore

inequality.

Social JusticeSocial Justice

• Social Justice is more than equality.• Social Justice demands that we recognize

inequality and barriers so that we may overcome them to allow everyone to pursue their full potential.

• Social Justice is more than equality.• Social Justice demands that we recognize

inequality and barriers so that we may overcome them to allow everyone to pursue their full potential.

Situated in TimeSituated in Time

• Equality focuses on the present.

• Social Justice acknowledges the past and looks to the future.

• Equality focuses on the present.

• Social Justice acknowledges the past and looks to the future.