Lost in the debate over SCA5 and the aborted attempt to reinstate race in admissions at public universities in California are the viewpoints of students (Photo by Peter & Joyce Grace).
Much of the attention has focused on the University of California, especially Berkeley and UCLA, the two most prestigious public universities in California and the nation.
But students in the California State University system were impacted too by the defeat of SCA5. One of those students shared his views in favor of affirmative action recently in the Daily Sundial.
Cal Ratana is a student at Cal State University Northridge and considers affirmative action both fair and needed. He argues affirmative action does not mandate quotas since quotas are illegal. Affirmative action does not guarantee results. Affirmative action merely allows race to be one factor to consider in admissions.
Ratana says arguments that affirmative action allows less qualified African Americans and Latinos students in over more qualified whites and Asian Americans are racist.
“This way of thinking is highly racist, as it assumes that Black and Latina/o students are already unqualified,” Ratana wrote. “But if you believe in this stereotype, you should check your privilege and re-evaluate your life.”
You can read his entire blog and his thoughts on affirmative action and Asian Americans in the Daily Sundial.
