Arguments Against Affirmative Action

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the executive order that mandated policies, based on affirmative action, to counter the effects of past discrimination. This action affected primarily employers and businesses that provided tuition aid for individuals wishing to attend a college or university. After this landmark decision, affirmative action continued to grow and soon became a factor in deciding eligibility for higher education. As a result of these major policy changes over the years, the United States has experienced a significant rise in diversity in the classroom and work place. More importantly, it has opened a number of doors to minorities that lack the experience and paper credentials to apply to an employer or college. The

One of the major arguments is reverse discrimination against majority groups. By offering employment and educational opportunities specifically for minority groups, many have argued that it eliminates the principle of meritocracy in our society. On the subject of opportunity, another opinion is that affirmative action is no longer needed and that the U.S. has developed a number of opportunities for every American to succeed. For example, unlike a number of countries, the U.S. military offers government tuition assistance to people that enlist and more if an individual enlists in certain states that have established a National Guard. Alongside tuition assistance from the military, the development of education through technology has opened a door to individuals who cannot afford to attend major state educational institutes. This means individuals who are in no financial position to attain an education can do so through online schooling that affordable and collaborates with outside factors that may affect an individual’s ability to continue their education. Finally, others debate that affirmative action, itself, creates a stereotype for minorities and contradicts the very principle it was set to eliminate. Whereas affirmative action has assisted minorities when our country was once very open about discrimination, by helping them establish policies to combat