According to the Associated Press, Steven Willborn, dean of the University of Nebraska’s law school, says it’s okay to admit under-qualified black students, because diversity is oh-so good.
In response to a study released by the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO) earlier this week, Willborn was up front about his school’s odious practice.
(Also see the post Discrimination at the University of Nebraska Law School.)
“We give preference to people within racial and ethnic categories,” he told the AP. “The only way we can provide a good education to all our students is to provide a climate…where there’s a whole bunch of diverse points of view.”
Let’s assume Willborn’s right, that “a whole bunch of diverse points of view” is a good thing and that black students are necessary to achieve the goal. Why not admit blacks with comparable scores and grades? Why admit obviously lesser qualified blacks and keep out obviously more qualified whites? And why is skin-deep diversity valued over intellectual and other kinds of diversity? More important, why is diversity valued over equal treatment? Blatant discrimination practiced for any reason is appalling.
There is a positive side, believe it or not. At least Willborn admits the truth. His justification for the discrimination is weak, but he acknowledges that discrimination exists at the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Nebraska voters, let him know what you think on November 4 as you consider Initiative 424, which would bar your state and local governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to any individual or group based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education and public contracting.
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