chapter eleven affirmative action workplace diversity ch. 111

Chapter Eleven

Affirmative Action

Workplace Diversity Ch. 11 1

Scenario You have accepted a position on a

university committee whose mission is to list the factors that should be considered in determining student admissions. In preparation for the first committee meeting you jot down your ideas. What do you write?


In Groups Are there any items that you would

not include? Why? Agree on your top ten items



Three Approaches to Diversity in the Workplace Valuing Difference = opens

attitudes Affirmative Action = opens doors Managing Diversity = opens the

system

Cultural Competence 1)Cultural destructiveness: Attitudes, policies,

and practices that are demeaning and detrimental to individuals and their cultures.

2)Incapacity: Incapable of assisting different cultures, the system or agency; unintentionally ruinous / destructive to individuals and/or communities.

3)Blindness: Intending to be unbiased, the system and its agencies function as if the culture makes no difference and as if all the people are the same.


Cultural Competence 4)Pre-competence: Individuals and organizations

start to acknowledge cultural differences and to make documented efforts to improve.

5)Competence: Acceptance and respect of cultural differences, continual expansion of cultural knowledge, continued cultural self-assessment, attention to the dynamics of cultural differences, and adoption of culturally relevant service delivery models.


What do you know? In same groups- define

“affirmative action” List 10 things you know or think

you know about affirmative action



Affirmative Action Originally, civil rights programs

were enacted to help African Americans become full citizens of the United States. But Affirmative Action helps any group that has been historically excluded such as: women, veterans, the disabled, and all people of color.


Affirmative Action Much of the opposition to affirmative

action is framed on the grounds of so-called "reverse discrimination and unwarranted preferences.

In fact, less than 2 percent of the 91,000 employment discrimination cases pending before the EEOC are reverse discrimination cases.


Affirmative Action Under the law as written in Executive

Orders and interpreted by the courts, anyone benefiting from affirmative action must have relevant and valid job or educational qualifications.

It is a myth that the nonqualified are hired or either it is a shortcut utilized by inappropriate company hiring practices.


Affirmative Action Myths Myth 1: Affirmative action is only

an issue for black, Latino and other people of color.

Women of all races have been the beneficiaries of affirmative action programs where the largest beneficiary is Caucasian women. The doors have opened more for Caucasian women than any other group.


Myths Myth 2: A large percentage of White

workers will lose out if affirmative action is continued.

According to the U.S. Commerce Department, there are 1.3 million unemployed Black civilians and 112 million employed White civilians (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000). Thus, even if every unemployed Black worker in the United States were to displace a White worker, only 1% of Whites would be affected.


Furthermore, affirmative action pertains only to job-qualified applicants, so the actual percentage of affected Whites would be a fraction of 1%.

The main sources of job loss among White workers have to do with factory relocations and labor contracting outside the United States, computerization and automation, and corporate downsizing (Ivins, 1995).

It is unfortunate that some managers attribute job loss to Affirmative Action—using affirmative action as a scapegoat in this manner is a cop out.


Myths Myth 3: If Jewish people and Asian

Americans can rapidly advance economically despite their discrimination, African Americans should be able to do the same.

This comparison ignores the unique history of discrimination against Black people in America.


Myths Myth 4: You can't cure discrimination with

discrimination. The problem with this myth is that it uses the

same word -- discrimination -- to describe two very different things.

Job discrimination is grounded in prejudice and exclusion, whereas affirmative action is an effort to overcome prejudicial treatment through inclusion.

The most effective way to cure society of exclusionary practices is to make special efforts at inclusion, which is exactly what affirmative action does.


Is Affirmative Action Working? Has affirmative action reached it’s goals of

equal opportunity? Is there still occupational segregation in management, clerical, technicians, and labor workers?

What has the recent anti-affirmative action laws caused?

Why is this such a heated debate at this time?

Why is there no debate on other preference programs as described in the chapter?


Allies in the struggle Assume that the ‘isms are

everywhere, everyday because they are and if you have not had the privilege of experiencing an ‘ism does not mean it does not exist.

Notice who is at the center of attention and who is at the center of power.

Take a stand against injustice.


Allies in the struggle Don’t call names or be personally

abusive—attacking people does not address the SYSTEMATIC nature of the ‘isms.

Support the leadership of women and people of color.

Don’t do these things alone—build support, establish networks.


What else can you do? Realize that the truth is hidden for

a reason. Know that issues are not as simple

as they seem. For example, How much do you

know about the SAT? What does Carl Campbell Brigham have to do with the SAT?


Carl Campbell Brigham Published a book that talks about superior

intelligence for certain groups of people. He analyzed army mental tests and used

classifications drawn from another racist text that said that whites were on top in intelligence and negroes were on the bottom.

He stated that the U.S. was infinitely worsened by incorporating negroes into the racial stock.


Carl Campbell Brigham He developed the SAT to confirm racist

assumptions. The SAT was developed based not upon native ability but cultural advantage.

The SAT’s format has not been changed. Did he create a self fulfilling prophecy. Are tests ie. equal opportunity as simple

as working hard and you’ll get a chance?

Carl Campbell Brigham What happened next?



Summary“It is important for us to unlearn

prejudices, broaden our understanding of the ism’s and learn to recognize injustice when we see it. But, unless we are actively involved in the fight against the ism’s we haven’t taken it far enough! Turn it into concrete action and change your workplace.” Author Paul Kivel

Discussion How has affirmative action

changed and expanded recruiting and training techniques?

Scenario exercise


chapter eleven affirmative action workplace diversity ch. 111

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