Affirmative Action

[miltie]

I'm currently enrolled in a course titled Managing Gender and Diversity in the Workplace. I have to write a very brief summation of three ways or ideas to improve Affirmative Action... Does anyone have any ideas? Greatly appreciated, report due Monday

[Hmph]

YES! it needs to be eliminated but w/guidelines. like when California eliminated it, it WASN'T necessary. California's hiring and government contracts were already diversely distributed. the irony is folks from backwoods deep south town migrated to California thinking minorities were being pushed out. nope, quite the opposite. they quickly discovered "TALENT" was the deciding factor, black, blue, brown, purple! not the best, not hired.

non-diverse companies need to take a look at their organizations's makeup vs the demographics of the location of their company, including talent coming out of nearby schools and ask themselves "why does my company not reflect the makeup of the community?"

I find it hard to believe that as diverse as NYC is some organizations are entirely white, or there is only a handful of minorities.

it is now 2007 and the fact that affirmative action is still needed is pretty pathetic and says a lot about progression of the minds in this country while invading Iraq. but unfortunately, beliefs about others start in the home and people first hire who they are most comfortable around.

Donald Trump is no exception. pretty white women are always at his side. blacks at his side are non-existent.

[miltie]

Great! Thanks so much Tamra!
One point down, two to go!

I never quite know how to answer those kinds of questions because one answer shoots off into about 80 million more.

Oh, and when you say "It should be eliminated with exceptions..." can you please be more specific as to what you mean by exceptions?

On a last note, yes, it is a shame that we even still have to have it in place in this day and age.

[Hmph]

with exceptions or guidelines because unfortunately there are organizations w/history of racial bias complaints and a history of unfair hiring and contract complaints. those organizations should be have stricter laws and sanctions imposed, or have outside source conduct hiring and contract selection for fairness. or their services/products should be restricted from profiting.

but of course, can't restrict fire or police services. those are the primary organizations of bias against minorities INCLUDING WOMEN. remember just over 30 years ago, police, w/help of politicians and judges, murdered blacks and white women for participating in civil rights protests or just for existing.

I think if applicants are blindly selected, allowed to test blindly, and then hired blindly that would cut down on "race" selections or ommissions. blindly meaning person doing hiring cannot see person physically, just a list of persons qualifications w/out a name. if any physical tests required this too done by outside source not related to organization, meaning they have no vested interest in position.

[MsNikaPooh]

Wow now thats a little hard. Great answers Tam. I totally agree. First it should be used only in situations where there is a history of discrimination in the workplace. Second it should go both ways. Every where should be diverse in hiring practices don't just dismiss a person because they are male, female, white, black, green, yellow, or whatever. Third people shouldn't just expect a job because of AA they should work hard for it and then if they can prove they didn't get it because of discrimination the courts should step in. I mean its sad that they are studies shown where h.r. people are throwing resumes away without reading them because of a name. They actually showed you can get more responses with an inital or "white" sounding name rather than Shanna or other "black" sounding names. When I first saw it I was like bull and tried it myself cause I have a "black" name and was totally shocked when I sent the exact no address change or anything other than using my first initial versus my name to the same companies and got a response with my initial but not my name. I really wanted to prove it wrong but I guess I was.

[Hmph]

the sad part is this also applies to apartment applications. just recently a news investigative team demonstrated how blacks were never returned calls to after hearing their voice on voice mail. or applications dismissed if an ethnic name is seen.

we can keep pretending and pretending it's not a problem, but that doesn't make it go away. me personally I speak w/my wallet. don't spend where not wanted.

[miltie]

I think that Blind Applicant screening would be a great idea, however, there is something to be said from what can be gathered about a person during a face to face interview.

It just seems like such a no win situation.

[Hmph]

one start, put standards and codes of ethics laws upon person doing hiring. make them 100% accountable and subject to prosecution. very few people would be willing to take fall for someone else's shadyness.

[Hmph]

one start, put required standards and codes of ethics laws upon person doing hiring at all federally funded organizations and companies which get government breaks or sell products to consumers. if they are good enough to buy products then they're good enough to be hired. make person hiring 100% accountable and subject to prosecution. very few people would be willing to take fall for someone else's shadyness.

[Hmph]

now CNN television has reported that Clemson U in So Carolina also had a similar party. except they took an MLK photo and wrote a caption which said "Drink More"

and Maria Scott the woman who openly participated in racial bias and other unethical behavior at SteelEye is a graduate of Clemson.

will these universities do anything about these future corporate leader? NOPE maybe if jews offended, but not if blacks offended.