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Show z - The Salt Lake Tribune ’ OPINION All , Sune 30, 2001 Affirmative Action Works Because Society Benefits From Diversi airports’ name. She is born and raised fits a profile c experts to stop And almost . througha” board aflight, she and searched. ‘That story is Justice Lewis years ago opinion holding versity Southerner “The goal dent body is justify consideration of race der some daughter of immigrants from Jordan and Egypt, to attenda select school isa for the rest of us as well, that the justices reaffirm Powell’s wise ruling and preserve race as part of the admissions ‘The unsettled nature of the law is illustrated the ‘Two Federal sitting on the same court and using the same guidelines, came conclusions. One upheld the university’s undergraduate system, while the other struck down a similar. process used by the law ‘sehool. What's not in doubt is that ending race as a “plus factor” would have a devastating effect on minority repreion. In California, where affirmative action was banned by a statewide referendum, and Native American Populations are down by 44 percent at Berkeley and 36 percent at UCLA. raceconscious policies inate against white applicants? Michigan argues strenuously that they do not. Atits law school, for instance, white applicants had a slightly better chance of being accepted than blacks, did. In the entering class of367, only 37 were African-American, a leaving plenty of room for the aggrieved majority. Michigan makes another strong point: Race is only one of many “plus factors” it uses for admissions. Ath-. letes and actors and farm kids get bonuses. So do “legacies” — children of — and applicants with influ. Steve knows how this works. have i ly sought his help in gettingtheir admitted to George W: and he has obliged, that they won't be accepted if they don’t meet the uni__versity’s basic standards. But it’s clear that students who know universi , or con_tributors, or political supporters, have an advantage. Why should those connections be a “plus factor” and race not be? Steve's experience over 10 years of ing indicates another argument for race-based decisions: Some minorities simply lack the exposure to advantages — culture, books, travel — thatmany middle-class white children take for granted. The minorities are just as smart as any other kids, but Wedeplore qi and mi correctness, but it’s indisputable that the rest of society from minorities. ‘s why companies like General” filed supporting 's policies. They know theirworkforce of the future will depend heavily on whites, women and recent immigrants. Or take another example: How can news accurately cover the whole range of society and culture ifthe people who make the decisions about coverage are not from different backgrounds? The answer is they can’t. In the classroom, Steve sees the benefits of diversity every day. East Coast Jewish liberals are better off going to school with a fellow from Spokane, Wash., whose parents teach in a conservative Christian school. Comfortable suburbanites learn something from an Indian student who was kicked off his high school soccer team because he looked different than the other players. their talents are less developed and dark-skinned woman with an Arabic name tells what the world looks like through her eyes. Including the professor. their test scores less elevated. So they need a boost to equalize the playing field. And everybody benefits-when a Bush Administration Sold Out Proponents of School Choice RUBEN NAVARRETTE WASHINGTON POSTWRITERSGROUP recently approved a $33 billion education bill. It came on the heels of another version in the House of Representatives that tipped the ledgerat $24 billion. The two bills have onething in common: Neither spends one centto rescue children who are now drowning in lowperforming public schools. That rescue operation was to be carried out by a Republican president. It was on the national holiday marking the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that a President-elect Bush perpetuated the Grand Old Party's illusion of inclusion byvisiting a black school in Houston. ‘There, he called educational attainment nothing less than a civil right” and promised, for those students whoare locked into schools deemed lowperforming for three years in a Tow, a voucher-like escape plan where children could take governmentallocated dollars and transfer to another school — public, private, or charter. Butonce in office and once it had sentits education proposal to Congress, the new administration had no escape plan. And there was no escaping the fact that school choice proponents had beensold out by a president they trusted. Even before Democrats took control of the Senate, the administration had taken vouchers offthe table. ‘There are atleast three theories as to why the tion retreated so quickly from the voucher battle, and none of them are inspiring. One sug- gests that Bush never really had his heart in the fight. While vouchers are a pet issue for many on the right, Bush does not seem convinced that we should give up on public schools. Even Vice President Cheney, whotakes a hard line on other issues including energy and defense, has expressed his personal confidence in public schools. the Black Alliance for Educational Options, a Milwaukee- based organization that works to build public support for pro- sending kids to private schools or moving to pricey suburbs viding vouchers to disadvantaged students in failing schools, Though disappointed that Bush broke his promise to with quality public schools. Still, limiting vouchers to poor and minority kids, while mor- minorities and the poor, Caire ally correct, may have drained enthusiasm within a party with is optimistic that his side will eventually triumph. Besides, he doesn’t seem all that impressed by the opposition. a reputation for caring most aboutthe wealthy. Then, there is the most de- “Their argumenthas run its pressing scenario: Bush and Co. simply decided that this was not a hill on which they Another possibility is that - wanted to die. While the adBush counted the votes in Con- ministration will go to the matgress and came up short — tresses to defend tax cuts and even in his own party. One ex- missile defense, it seems to planation for weak support have concluded that a nasty from Republicans is that the fight on vouchers wouldeat up Bush vouchers were limited to too muchpolitical capital and those who need them most — underminetherest of the presthe poor and the disadvan- ident’s education proposal. Kaleem Caire understands taged. Thatwas the right thing to do. Parents with means al- political realities. The father of ready have the “choice” of three is executive director of course,” he said of voucher opponents. “Timeis running out for them.” Until his time comes, Caire will have to live with the heartbreak of a missed opportunity by an administration thatlost its nerve. Too bad. In pragmatic politics, someone has to fight the lost causes. Not this bunch though — which, it turns out, knows a lot about politics and little about leadership. Messey 8 Early Bird Savings On All Ducane Gas Grills In Stock Audi A6é 2.7 TURBO Only $499-2 STNISxi|] SDuecemmes The difference isQuality. SPECIAL low 2.9% APR financing available on new Audi A6 models until June 30, 2001. 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