Contact a Point of View

A. Background Building

The affirmative action policies are difficult to understand. These policies suggest each organization should reflect the total population. For example, blacks make up about 15 percent of the population in the United States. If you own a small company with 100 employees, how many should be black?

B. Timed Reading

In the early 1970s, Allen Bakke, an engineer from California, de­cided that he wanted to change his career and become a doctor. He ap­plied to the medical school at the University of California. Bakke was a good student; he had graduated from the University of Minnesota with an A average and had a master's degree from Stanford. He was not accepted by the University of California. He was very upset.

Bakke discovered that the university had an affirmative action pol­icy; he believed that some black students who were accepted to the medical school were not as qualified as he was. In other words, he felt that they were accepted because of their race and not because of their back­ground. It seems that the university was trying to equalize educational opportunities for minority students. The university hoped that by ac­cepting a certain number of minority students, they could change a long history of discrimination.

Bakke felt that this affirmative action policy was unjust and that he had a right to attend medical school. He felt that he was better qual­ified and that the action of the medical school was reverse discrimination. He considered the action Illegal and decided to bring his problem to the court for a decision.

He brought the issue to two state courts in California. The decision of the judges was that the action of the medical school was perfectly legal and that Bakke had to accept this decision.

He then decided to bring the problem to the United States Supreme Court, where the final decision-making power in the United States lies. What do you think happened?

Read each of the following statements carefully to determine whether each is true (T), false (F), or impossible to know (ITK).

1. __________Bakke's background was better than most others.

2. __________Bakke had a good background.

3. __________Bakke applied to Stanford Medical School.

4. __________This case happened last year.

5. __________Reverse discrimination means not accepting minorities.

6. __________The Supreme Court makes final decisions about laws in the United States.

7. __________Bakke had no alternative after the decision of the two lower (state) courts.

8. __________The policy of the school was to fill all places with minority students.

9. __________The two state courts said that the action was illegal.

10. _________ Bakke accepted the decision of the state courts.

С. Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks with vocabulary from the reading.

1. applied/accepted/attended

Allen Bakke __________ the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate. He __________ to the University of California, but was no_____________

2. discrimination/judge/illegal

The __________ considered that _________in any form was __________.

3. applicants/accepted/backgrounds

________ who had __________ that were not as good as Bakke's were __________.

4. policy/attempt

This ______________was an ___________ to equalize opportunities.

D. React

Mr. Bakke's affirmative action case is a difficult one. According to the facts, what would you decide? Get into groups of five and decide the case as the Supreme Court did. Remember that you must have a majority decision (3 to 2). After reaching your decision, present it to the class. Here is some useful vocabulary.

We feel that . . .

We agree that ...

Mr. Bakke should .. . legal/illegal

The university should . . . necessary/unnecessary

All applicants should .. . unconstitutional

Minority applicants must .. .

Racial discrimination ...

Reverse discrimination ...

employ employment	She is looking for ________________
Discriminate Discrimination	______________ is unfortunately part of the history of this country
treat treatment	What is the best way to____________ cold?
educate education	Public schools should_______________ everybody.
protect protection	Don't worry. I'll ___________ you.
equalize equality	Is the basis of democracy ________________?
associate association	She denies any _______________ with him.
designate designation	The of “white only” facilitates is now over.
act action	They always ______________ natural.
solve solution	Time isn't going to ________ this problem.

Part2

In other chapters, you have studied parts of the boldfaced words in the fol­lowing sentences. Write the letter with the correct meaning of the boldfaced word from the list below the sentences.

1. They asked the government to intervene because the two groups couldn't come to any agreement.

2. He walked right past me as if I were invisible.

1. All I want is an equitable solution to the problem.

2. I'm going to preview the movie I'm planning to show in class tomorrow.

3. I read that woman's autobiography. It was quite interesting.

4. Where's the exit to this building?

6. In my judgment, the driver was wrong.

7. I think he needs psychiatric help.

9. His leg was visible sticking out from behind the sofa.

10. Exercise has beneficial effects on your body and mind.

a. look at before b. opinion

c. fair d. story about your own life

e. mental f. able to be seen

g. come between h. way out

i. not able to be seen j. good, positive