Affirmative Action Essays (2066 words) - Social Inequality

Affirmative Action Affirmative Action AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INTRODUCTION This paper was written to show how Affirmative Action took place. It deals with the idea that diversity management does not decrease ethnic and gender tensions while increasing profits, productivity and creativity, but it has served a general purpose to aware people of different cultures, and establish a justification to make everybody equal in opportunity not based in race, sex, nor culture. It also includes a history of the Affirmative Action. The different paths it has taken along the development it has undergone as time has gone by, from its beginning as a Civil Rights Act to the Affirmative Action it is today. Statement of Purpose The three members of the group are members of minorities and the purpose is to acquaint other minorities with what could be encountered in finding a job. Scope This paper contains arguments that stand for and against Affirmative Action programs with cases to substantiate the claims. It also contains a history of the Affirmative Action and its original purpose. Sources and Methods The material needed for this paper was gathered from several on-line resources and a book. Such sources were gathered by searching the Internet and the School's Library. Report Organization The paper starts by giving the reader the original purpose of the affirmative Action and its history. Then, it states several pros and several cons supporting each with a case. At the end of the paper a summary of the same is given together with the conclusions formed by the writers of the paper. WHAT IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION? Affirmative Action is the name given to programs that try to correct past and ongoing discriminations against women, racial minorities, and others in the work force and in education. The principal goal of Affirmative Action is to create more diversity and equal opportunities in jobs or schools that used to be all or mostly male, white, or both. Affirmative Action programs have been in place only a little over thirty years throughout Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. There are three aspects of Affirmative Action. One, Affirmative Action in employment. It can consist of posting and publicizing job notices in locations that are likely to be seen by a wide rang e of people so that not only white people, but also minorities can see that there are job opportunities that they can apply to (Casul, 1). Two, Affirmative Action in contracting. This consists of highly regulated government agencies that help minorities to get jobs without haven to go through discrimination because of their background (Casul, 1). Three, Affirmative Action in education. This consists of various programs that schools have to be able to provide minorities with the equal opportunity of an education (Casul, 1). THE HISTORY OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Affirmative Action was started in 1965 with the Executive order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. He stated that something else had to be done to move beyond the non-discrimination laws that were already enacted. At the same time something had to be done to enable women and minorities to move up in their jobs. After President Johnson, President Nixon implemented that same Executive order. With this done President Ford, a few years later the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974. This acts assured that federal contractors had Affirmative Action regulations in hiring or firing employees. Again, some years later President Carter created a centralized office to handle all Affirmative Action cases named the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Now, during his presidency, President Clinton has articulated four standards for all Affirmative Action programs: no quotas in theory or practice, no illegal discrimination of any kind, no preferences for people not qualified, and as soon as the program has succeeded it must be retired. THE CASE FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Since the day that thanks to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 African-American civilians were able to attend school with everybody else; since the day that there was no difference between a white water fountain and a black water fountain, the achievements reached with the help of an Affirmative Action are evident. Affirmative Action has caused a debate and some tension to rise in the American society (Lewis, 1). The paragraphs that follow will be intended to show to the reader that an Affirmative Action can indeed help the business environment in getting the most qualified people the job they deserve, without their