Referendum 88 and the fight against affirmative action

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CounterCurrent: Week of 11/3
Referendum 88 and the fight against affirmative action

CounterCurrent is the National Association of Scholars’ new weekly newsletter, bringing you the biggest issues in academia and our responses to them.
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Category: Racial Preferences; Reading Time: ~2 minutes
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** Featured Article - Washington Voters: Vote NO on Referendum 88 by Peter Wood ([link removed][UNIQID])
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The war over affirmative action during the last several years has been a complex saga, to say the least. On the one hand, in July 2018, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice announced their plan to repeal seven regulatory documents put in place by the Obama administration. ([link removed][UNIQID]) These documents effectively gave colleges and universities free reign to prioritize racial preferences over individual merit in their admissions and hiring practices.

On the other hand, Massachusetts' District Court recently ruled in favor of Harvard University ([link removed][UNIQID]) and their ongoing discrimination against Asian-American students in admissions, a major win for higher education’s progressives. These are but two of countless skirmishes that have kept the war in our country raging since the 1960s. The constant back-and-forth makes it difficult to discern who, if anyone, is “winning”, especially given the influence of radically different presidential administrations.

And now, enter Referendum 88. With this vote ([link removed][UNIQID](2019)) taking place next Tuesday, November 5th, Washington State re-enters the affirmative action fray after a brief summer hiatus. The law in question is Initiative 1000 ([link removed][UNIQID](2019)) , a state statute passed in April, 2019 that permits Washington organizations and institutions to use “characteristics such as race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status...as factors when considering a person for public education or public employment opportunities.” If this sounds like discrimination to you, you’d be right.

In this week’s featured article ([link removed][UNIQID]) , NAS President Peter Wood breaks down the issue, including the byzantine text of I-1000 itself, and explains why those opposed to racial bias should vote an emphatic “REJECT” today. But don’t check out if you’re not a Washingtonian; if this statute remains in place, it will set a dangerous precedent for other states to follow.

John David
Communications Associate
National Association of Scholars
Read More ([link removed][UNIQID])
For more about the state of racial preferences in our country:

October 30, 2019


** The Vote to Abolish Racial Discrimination in Washington State ([link removed][UNIQID])
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Peter Wood

In this special episode, Peter Wood is joined by Linda Yang of Washington Asians for Equality, the leading organization in the fight against Referendum 88.

July 05, 2018


** Moving Against Racial Discrimination ([link removed][UNIQID])
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NAS

A statement on the Departments of Education and Justice decision to repeal seven guidelines on racial preferences in college admissions.

October 03, 2019


** Scholars Disappointed by Decision Upholding Harvard Discrimination ([link removed][UNIQID])
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NAS

The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts upholds racial discrimination in admissions by Harvard University.

April 12, 2019


** Racial Preferences at Texas Tech ([link removed][UNIQID])
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NAS

The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights negotiated an end to racial preferences at the Texas university. What does it say about the future of these policies at other schools?


** About the NAS
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The National Association of Scholars, founded in 1987, emboldens reasoned scholarship and propels civil debate. We’re the leading organization of scholars and citizens committed to higher education as the catalyst of American freedom.

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