Our very own Gov. Jerry Brown has been facing a few tough decisions the past few days. Two of these decisions include the Dream Act and SB 185, which would implement an affirmative action-like standard for higher education. Even in the midst of some strenuous decisions, Brown managed to make the right one with both the Dream Act and SB 185.
Last week, the Daily 49er reported about the disadvantage that affirmative action would present to universities in California.
“Students should only be admitted into universities based on whether or not they have the right qualifications to meet the challenges of the curriculum,” the Daily 49er reported. “If you admit unqualified students in order to have a few more minorities, you’re doing the campus a disservice, instead of creating a level playing field.”
This is the biggest problem that affirmative action would bring about. First, it would be unfair for one student to be accepted into a university over another student due to his or her gender, race and/or sexual orientation. Sure, it’ll create diversity, which is important in all of the United States, but it ignores equality of opportunity in terms of higher education.
Universities set a certain criteria to refer back to when admitting students to the campus, and the acceptance process should be based solely on that criteria. If this weren’t done, then a “level playing field,” as stated before, would not be achieved, putting the students and faculty at a disadvantage.
We learn in part from our fellow classmates. Competition within universities — one of the major incentives for students to succeed — wouldn’t exist. And when it comes to faculty, teachers sometimes have to accommodate to students’ level of competence, and if it varies, it would be harder for teachers to know exactly what each student needs.
As for the Dream Act, Brown put it perfectly: “Going to college is a dream that promises intellectual excitement and creative thinking. The Dream Act benefits us all by giving top students a chance to improve their lives and the lives of all of us.”
We can sit here and complain about undocumented immigrants and how they’re “taking over,” and whatever else, but the Dream Act will actually partially help this issue. It’s been argued hundreds of times before, but a lot of illegal immigrants in California today are ones that had no part in the decision to move to the United States. However, regardless, they grew up here. To them, California is home. The Dream Act will target exactly that population of undocumented immigrants.
There’s no harm in educating people, anyway. Whether they’re male or female, black or white, undocumented or documented, nothing harmful can result from educating immigrants.
What is a bit touchy still, however, is the portion of the bill that allows undocumented immigrants institutional grants. This is a portion of the bill that could eventually need amends in the future.
So that being said, Brown has not been disappointing in my opinion, at least in terms of higher education. Let’s just hope his winning streaking continues.
Sonia Guillen is a senior journalism major and opinions editor for the Daily 49er.
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