Regents v. Bakke

The following is an account of what I presented to my class defending the board of regents in the University of California v. Bakke. I took the economic approach to the case.

Judge and council,

I am here to defend the side of the board of regents. We are fighting to express the fact that allowing racial quotas in the admission process is extremely valid and beneficial to our country.

Affirmative action refers to a set of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking to include particular groups based on their gender, race, sexuality, creed or nationality in areas in which they are underrepresented such as education and employment.

If done correctly, affirmative action can greatly boost our economy. Affirmative action also has no negative effect on those not considered a minority. It simply alters the college demographics by admitting more high-skilled low-income students and fewer low-skilled high-income ones.

Right now we are limiting the future of some very bright kids. By limiting these children’s ability to reach their full potential because of aftermath effects of slavery and extreme racism were are obstructing the future growth of the U.S. economy. Providing these people with easier access to education and jobs is the best way to even the playing field and help improve our country as a whole.

An example of a hardship minorities have to face due to effects of past segregation is  not having the benefit of living in affluent neighborhoods receiving the benefits of good schools, low crime rates and access to public services. Many minorities sadly may have to travel farther and pay extra for access to services, work or school. These areas statistically are more dangerous, keeping away a lot of business. This segregation if you will has a large negative effect on the economy of the region, as well as surrounding areas.

To summarize this argument, Racial segregation by demographic separates high-poverty racial groups from low-poverty racial groups. The result of this separation is that poverty is concentrated in the communities of high-poverty racial groups while low-poverty racial groups are shielded from poverty contact. Affirmative action is a plan to set policies and practices, in this case we are referring to the school system, to allow for well deserving members of minorities to be provided better access to higher education. This system of inclusion, we believe, will build safer, smarter and richer regions. By incorporating this idea into the admissions process the university of California has not violated the constitution, only embraced it to bring equal opportunity to all.

Sources:

Darling-Hammond, Linda. “Unequal Opportunity: Race and Education.” Brookings, 28 July 2016, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/unequal-opportunity-race-and-education/. 

"Regents of the University of California v. Bakke." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1979/76-811. Accessed 15 Feb. 2022.

Review, UCLA Anderson. “Sizing up the Measurable Good of Affirmative Action.” UCLA, UCLA, 25 Apr. 2018, https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/sizing-up-the-measurable-good-of-affirmative-action.