I take exception to David Cooper’s op-ed, “Race debate is misguided,” on Nov. 1. I agree with him that affirmative action fails to address one source of disparities – namely, the poor quality of schools for many minority children. However, if Cooper believes that eliminating poverty and inferior schools will overcome all structural barriers to higher education and professional jobs for underrepresented minorities, he is sadly mistaken. In the United States, we have a long history of racial discrimination and bias. Studies indicate that significant racial bias still occurs in hiring, loan applications, policing, sentencing, executions, youth extracurricular opportunities and social settings like clubs, associations and marriage – even after controlling for income.
Yes, it is important to take into account students’ disadvantaged economic backgrounds and other issues, such as serious illness or disability, or death of a parent, in admission decisions to try to level the playing field for applicants. But until we can prove unequivocally that racial bias is dead, affirmative action can also assist in achieving increased diversity and fairness in admissions and hiring.