President Bush has recently taken a strong position regarding
affirmative action by authorizing the federal government to file a
friend of the court brief in the suit against the University of
Michigan. This controversial step put the two most visible black
members of his administration, Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powel,l on
opposite sides of the discussion. Both of these highly capable and
respected leaders admit to having been helped by affirmative
action, or at least by the fact that the organizations they were
joining were trying to become more diverse.
President Bush has recently taken a strong position regarding affirmative action by authorizing the federal government to file a friend of the court brief in the suit against the University of Michigan. This controversial step put the two most visible black members of his administration, Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powel,l on opposite sides of the discussion. Both of these highly capable and respected leaders admit to having been helped by affirmative action, or at least by the fact that the organizations they were joining were trying to become more diverse.
Bush avoided any mention of affirmative action in his State of the Union Speech. It was probably correct to do so, since the highly emotional nature of this topic would have detracted from the other important issues on his agenda. Ultimately, we cannot avoid the issue in society if we are to remain a strong and free nation.
It is my opinion that President Bush has taken the correct position but has only gone part of the way. Ultimately, affirmative action as a system to redress past wrongs is unfair to both the recipients and those who were “not helped”. For every Condoleeza Rice that was able to step forward and seize the opportunity that she was given, there are many who will not have that opportunity and do not have her capabilities.
The very fact that affirmative action is viewed as necessary in our universities is a condemnation our entire education system. Were all of our elementary and secondary schools achieving what they should, there would be no need for affirmative action at the collegiate level. It is our responsibility to ensure that this community delivers the best education to all of our youth.
As the government of the State of California continues to hack away at the budget and cannot avoid reducing school budgets, there will necessarily be cuts in education. Immediately, class size becomes an issue as a reduction in the number of teachers is one way to have an immediate reduction in costs. School buildings have fixed costs while the number of teachers is a variable that can be manipulated up or down as the funding is or is not made available.
In all of the rhetoric surrounding the budgetary crisis, I have never once heard a discussion of the reduction in interscholastic athletics as a method of reducing cost. It seems to me that it is more politically acceptable to cut back on language, literature or science instruction than it would be to reduce even one sports team.
Is this the priority that we want to in our community? Is this what we want our youth to know, that sports are more important to the adults in our community than education? I would think that athletic budgets should be targeted before one hour of classroom education is reduced.
There are many thing that we can do in our community to support our schools through volunteer efforts. The elementary music programs have been saved by the hard work and fund raising of a group of dedicated people. The National Endowment for the Arts has published the studies that show a correlation between the study of the arts and success in other areas of academic growth. Those who contribute to the Britton and Live Oak bands are aiding more than just music.
Geno Acevdeo is one leader who is contributing to our community. His energy and enthusiasm are one of the reasons that Morgan Hill has both adult and junior swimming and water polo programs. This is good for the entire community and we should all be glad that there are those who have that energy and drive.
I have singled out Geno because a new aquatics center is under development and his name is frequently in the newspaper. There are many others whose energy goes toward other sports programs from the Pride of Morgan Hill to the Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League. I am looking for the Geno Acevedo of mathematics or science, someone who steps forward to develop the funding and the support required for academic programs.
I read the guest column of Yasser Elassal in the most recent Oak Leaf. He complains about the inefficiency and the indecisive nature of our educational system. His column indicates a real frustration with the fact that there is not enough opportunity for a student who knows what they want to become. With the reductions in state education funding that are forthcoming, students like Yasser will need community support to get the education that they are looking for.
With further funding reductions inevitable, we need “affirmative action” to ensure that all of our young people get the education that they deserve. While the term “affirmative action” has a racial connotation, it should not be limited to that use. We need action to affirm that education is still valued in every community. We need action to affirm that the reason our schools exist is to educate.
“I find I have a great lot to learn – or unlearn. I seem to know far too much and this knowledge obscures the really significant facts, but I am getting on.” – Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Wes Rolley is an artist and concerned citizen. The Board of Contributors is comprised of local writers whose views appear on Tuesdays and Fridays.
