Affirmative Action

VOYA - Alison Kastner

This thorough book covers the evolution of affirmative action and the form it takes today, and also examines racial and gender discrimination. A chapter is devoted to California, with its multicultural population, as a case study, and the author also spends some time dealing with the future of affirmative action. One strength of this book is its balance. Throughout, views from diverse groups are presented. The sources include such publications as Harpers, The Nation, The American Spectator, National Review, and U.S. News and World Report. Readers will come away with an excellent overview of those who are making their voices heard in the affirmative action debate. There is a discussion of Dinesh D'Souza's The End of Racism (Free Press, 1995), in which he argued that affirmative action is reverse discrimination. The author also covers press reactions to D'Souza's book, in particular, the reaction of Washington Post columnist William Raspberry. Also of interest is a discussion of peer pressure and the friction it causes between groups of teens who are anxious to find a sense of belonging. Additional strengths of this book lie in its currency and in the author's even-handed treatment of the issue. I can think of only one criticism: it would have been preferable to include more photographs of historical significance, rather than staged photographs of nameless people. These did not really complement the text. This title will make an excellent addition to school and public library collections. Glossary. Index. Photos. Source Notes. Biblio. VOYA Codes: 4Q 2P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, For the YA with a special interest in the subject, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

School Library Journal

Gr 6 UpAn excellent, well-balanced introduction to the topic. Guernsey's description of the goals of the program is balanced by her inclusion of often-troubling arguments against it. The historical background explains the reasons for its creation and traces its evolution from Kennedy/Johnson-era executive orders through the legislation and court interpretations that have led the country to its current policies. Landmark events, such as the establishment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Supreme Court cases, such as Griggs v. Duke Power and the Bakke decision, are used to describe the policy's development. The benefits of affirmative action to women and minorities are discussed along with the criticisms, such as reverse discrimination and the accusation that it is degrading to individuals who benefit from its provisions. The list of organizations for further information and a relatively up-to-date bibliography are provided. A good introduction to a controversial topic, this book raises more questions than it answers, but it lays a sound foundation for readers who want to understand the debate and begin to form their own opinions.Jeffrey A. French, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, OH

Kirkus Reviews

This thought-provoking addition to the Pro/Con series discusses affirmative-action policy in the US today. After defining affirmative action—a "term used to describe techniques to remedy the effects of existing and past discrimination and to end such discrimination"—the author aptly explores not only the goals and rationale behind the concept, but also the controversies and problems resulting from its implementation. Readers will struggle with the complexities of the policy and especially the paradox of affirmative action in practice—how "preferential treatment has often led to resentment and condescension," as well as instances of "misplacement," e.g., when those given preferential treatment to attend top academic schools experience "academic struggle, battered self-esteem, and ultimately a high dropout rate." This is a balanced view of competing worthwhile values: the redressing of historical wrongs, while attempting to treat everyone the same. (b&w photos, charts, graphs, notes, glossary, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15)