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The Source: Is It Time To Change Affirmative Action?

Marsha Miller
/
University of Texas

The government should be looking past race for its affirmative action goals, argues Sheryll Cashin in her new book, "Place Not Race: A New Vision of Opportunity in America." 

While Cashin argues racism is a real problem in America, being too focused on race blinds university administrators as well as government officials to the fact that the goal of affirmative action should be to even the playing field for the disadvantaged.

With this in mind, the Georgetown law professor posits that officials eager to check boxes are taking wealthy minority members and not those more disadvantaged; the idea that wealthy Malia and Natasha Obama aren't as needing of a hand as those living in rural Appalachia who just happen to be white. 

With a number of Supreme Court cases in the news making the future of affirmative action more tenuous, should we be rethinking how we administer the social policy?

Guest:

  • Sheryll Cashin, professor of law at Georgetown University and author of "Place Not Race" (@SheryllCashin)

*This is the second segment in the May 19 edition of The Source, which airs at 3 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM. Audio from this show will be posted by 5:30 p.m.

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Paul Flahive can be reached at Paul@tpr.org