Affirmative action is a set of policies aiming to promote race and gender-fair decisions for inclusivity to underrepresented people, mainly in learning centers and employment sectors. Positive discrimination is applied to organizations with minority groups, including high schools and universities. Affirmative action is utilized through outreach efforts, training initiatives, and other pragmatic steps to recruit and embed covered veterans, people with disabilities, women, and qualified disadvantaged individuals (Ashar, 2020). Notably, the practice is applied to safeguard the rights of vulnerable people to ensure that educational and employment admission systems grounded on meritocracy do not hinder them from acquiring equal opportunities.
There are many pros of affirmative action, including facilitating sufficient mechanisms to facilitate inclusion and fairness in the existing admission and recruitment systems. The policy substantially promotes diversity in student and workforce bodies. For instance, in the regents of the University of California vs. Bakke case, the Supreme Court judges ruled that high educational centers consider race as a factor and draft programs to enhance quota systems (Ashar, 2020). In institutions, the heterogeneous groups produce improved results contrasted to homogeneous ones when respondents believe they are engaged in the contribution efforts. However, one of the key cons of affirmative action is that it can spearhead reverse discrimination. In addition, the practice facilitates mediocrity as there is no historical progress based on equal presentation, and it concentrates on high initiative costs.
I significantly support the continuation of affirmative action as a lawful prerequisite for universities and covered employers. According to the 2020 statistical reports, only 8% of women are top executives in fortune 500 companies (Ashar, 2020). To curb inequality, learning and recruitment organizations must adopt the policy. From my experience, I have witnessed my colleagues being denied job opportunities due to their race. The American government should protect its citizens inclusively and equally by implementing affirmative action. In conclusion, the policy helps rectify anomalies that continue to manifest in admission systems, thus ensuring all United States citizens receive equal opportunities in learning and job creation centers.
Reference
Ashar, L. (Host). (2020). Viability of affirmative action in 2020 (No. 15) [Audio podcast episode]. In Politics in the workplace. American Public University. Web.