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This is some bullshit. Trying to exert such rigid control over educational outcomes by favoring people based on their race? Talk about unfair discrimination. It

This is some bullshit. Trying to exert such rigid control over educational outcomes by favoring people based on their race? Talk about unfair discrimination. It’s 2018 (aka $CURRENT_YEAR), haven’t we grown beyond this fruitless social engineering wheel-spinning? In a sane world, this kind of legislation would be shot down with cogent arguments from smart and knowledgeable lawmakers. The only reason such ill-conceived ideas become law is because our republic is essentially a popularity contest, and people will apparently vote for a politician who, without thinking things through (or indeed thinking at all), will gladly push legislation rife with feel-good buzzwords and catchphrases of the moment. All that matters is getting (re-)elected, fairness and justice be damned. It’s no wonder these folks are marching. This is naked social control from ideologues. Fight against it!

Fomite 8y ago
The suggestion is that educational outcomes are already favoring people by race, just with a veneer laid over it, and we're revisiting the question as to whether or not that's working.
- manfredo 8y ago
  I may be reading too much into your use of the word "favoring", but I think it's not safe to assume that any disparate outcome is the effect of favoring certain races. Certainly, educational outcomes differ by race but there are non-discriminatory factors that can play a large role, such as time dedicated towards academics [1]. In other words, I think it's worth asking whether it's the education system that's favoring certain groups, or if it's certain groups that are favoring academic achievement. I don't think it's right to use discriminatory policies to ensure equity of outcome if it's the latter. 1. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012026/tables/table_35.asp https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012026/tables/table_35.asp
  - Fomite 8y ago
    I agree - all I'm saying is that claiming the old system doesn't favor people by race (in the way you're meaning, where it tilts the scales in particular direction) isn't trivially demonstrable. Higher Ed has been struggling with this for awhile. It's not clear that a major emphasis on test scores isn't just putting a quantitative spackle on a biased system, and then declaring the job done. Especially in a system with such a complicated background as public schooling.

Fomite 8y ago

The suggestion is that educational outcomes are already favoring people by race, just with a veneer laid over it, and we're revisiting the question as to whether or not that's working.

manfredo 8y ago
I may be reading too much into your use of the word "favoring", but I think it's not safe to assume that any disparate outcome is the effect of favoring certain races. Certainly, educational outcomes differ by race but there are non-discriminatory factors that can play a large role, such as time dedicated towards academics [1]. In other words, I think it's worth asking whether it's the education system that's favoring certain groups, or if it's certain groups that are favoring academic achievement. I don't think it's right to use discriminatory policies to ensure equity of outcome if it's the latter. 1. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012026/tables/table_35.asp https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012026/tables/table_35.asp
- Fomite 8y ago
  I agree - all I'm saying is that claiming the old system doesn't favor people by race (in the way you're meaning, where it tilts the scales in particular direction) isn't trivially demonstrable. Higher Ed has been struggling with this for awhile. It's not clear that a major emphasis on test scores isn't just putting a quantitative spackle on a biased system, and then declaring the job done. Especially in a system with such a complicated background as public schooling.