Affirmative Action: Crash Course Government and Politics #32

Affirmative Action: Crash Course Government and Politics #32 would likely cover the following key aspects of affirmative action:

Definition: Affirmative action refers to a set of policies and practices within an organization or institution seeking to increase the representation of a group historically disadvantaged or underrepresented, particularly in employment and education.
Purpose: Initially designed to address and remedy the lingering effects of past and present discrimination, especially against racial minorities and women, and to promote diversity.

Origins: Emerged from the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
- Executive Order 11246 (1965): Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, requiring federal contractors to take "affirmative action" to ensure equal employment opportunities.
Evolution: Expanded beyond race and gender to include other protected characteristics in some contexts, though the primary focus remained on race and gender.

Compensatory Justice: To make up for past and present systemic discrimination.
Diversity Benefits: Creates a more diverse student body and workforce, which can enrich educational experiences, foster innovation, and better reflect society.
Breaking Cycles: Helps break cycles of poverty and disadvantage for historically marginalized groups.
Equal Opportunity: Aims to level the playing field, acknowledging that not everyone starts from the same position.

Reverse Discrimination: Critics argue it can lead to qualified individuals from majority groups being overlooked in favor of less qualified candidates from preferred minority groups.
Meritocracy: Undermines the principle of merit, where positions should be filled purely based on qualifications and individual achievement.
Stigmatization: Can stigmatize beneficiaries, implying they were chosen due to their race or gender rather than their merits.
Not Colorblind: Contends that using race or gender as a factor is itself discriminatory and moves away from a truly colorblind society.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978):
- Held that while rigid quotas were unconstitutional, race could be considered as one of many factors in admissions to achieve a diverse student body.
Grutter v. Bollinger (2003):
- Upheld the University of Michigan Law School's holistic admissions policy, affirming that race could be a factor in admissions to promote diversity.
Gratz v. Bollinger (2003):
- Struck down the University of Michigan's undergraduate admissions policy, which awarded a fixed number of points to minority applicants, deeming it too mechanistic.
Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (2013, 2016):
- Reaffirmed that affirmative action policies must pass strict scrutiny and be narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling government interest (diversity).
Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard/UNC (2023):
- Ruled that race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and UNC were unconstitutional, effectively ending the consideration of race in college admissions nationwide.