Dear Anita,

To me, one of the most disturbing aspects of the
debate over race and (higher) education in America has been
how definition of the issue ("racial preferences" rather than
diversity and integration) in the media and in public
discourse has clearly shaped public policies and laws that
during the 1990s have conspired to undo much of the hard-earned
gains of the three previous decades. I have not yet seen research
on this specific phenomenon -- but it's a clear challenge for
members of our division.
Meanwhile, the assault on diversity continues unabated. In this
week's issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education, a long article details
the failure of president Bush's signature program on diversity
in higher education which he initiated as governor of Texas.
The so-called "percent plan" in which states like Texas,
California, and Florida decided to admit students in the
top 5, 10, or 20 percent of their class into state university
systems, has led to sharp declines in black and Latino enrollments
in all three states. Considering that these are three of the four
largest states in the nation, this is a bigger problem than it seems
at first glance. In spite of these grim stats, anti-diversity gangs
led by Ward Connely are gearing up yet again to legally challenge
the "percent plans" as discriminatory against "better" students!!!!!!
Connelly -- and those like him -- have made it clear that their
aim is to get rid of this whole concept of diversity from higher
education. So far, they are finding little resistance in defining
the issues in terms of what is legally and morally acceptable and what is not
. . .
Although the team that drafted Bush's "percent plan" legislation has now
disowned the program (and are in fact filing briefs in support of
the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy) it's still
a steep uphill battle trying to stem the tide -- given the composition
of the current Supreme Court. But we cannot afford to give in without
some fight. It's now becoming clear that "alternative" policies being
advanced by conservatives are undermining equality and fairness
in education. We should assume that this is the end game for policy makers.
The implications of this for the future is devastating -- unless groups
like us do more.

We would like to use this forum to carry on academic and issue-oriented
discussions for which the annual conferences do not provide adequate
time. I therefore urge MAC members to feel free to engage in the
proposed topic discussions. Right now we have Dr. Anita Fleming-Rife's
topic on the legacy of Brown vs. Board of Education on the floor.
Anyone who wishes to propose a topic for discussion can let me know
and it will be tabled.
Thanks.
Ali.









>===== Original Message From Anita Fleming-Rife <[log in to unmask]> =====
>        First, thanks Ali for thinking of this wonderful idea.  I am
>sure that I am not the only one who would like to discuss research
>interests with like-minded people but have few opportunities to do
>so--so I really appreciate this opportunity.  Since I am the first, I
>am not certain that this is what you had in mind, but here it goes.
>        For discussion:
>
>"School Resegregation, Affirmative Action, and the Brown Decision:
>Looking Back to See the Future"
>
>
>        By the time we meet in Kansas City in late July, the Supreme
>Court will have decided the fate of affirmative action programs in
>our nation's universities.  At the same time, it will be less than a
>year from the 50th anniversary of Brown v. The Board of Education,
>Topeka --in which the United States Supreme Court decided what is
>arguably the most important ruling in America's history. The Brown
>decision effectively dismantled the legacy of Jim Crow in every
>institution--except its intended, public schools. Even schools that
>were successfully desegregated are now re-segregated; today, more
>than 70 percent of all African-American children attend schools that
>are predominantly black and the majority of these schools have poor
>educational resources. This contributes to the growing disparity
>between the pool of students eligible for higher education and the
>pool of those who are available to compete for places at selective
>universities.
>        In Georgia, Florida, Texas and California-states that now
>prohibit their state universities from considering race as a positive
>factor--admissions of African Americans have plummeted.  In Georgia,
>there was a 40% decline and in Florida the drop was even greater,
>45%.
>        Although it has been nearly 50 years since we celebrated the
>Brown victory, this is a contemporary issue with public policy
>implications.  MAC should be at the forefront of promoting and
>facilitating public discourse about this important issue. The panel
>that I proposed for this year's convention, "Looking Back to see the
>Future: The Press and Brown V. The Board of Education, Part I," is a
>starting point for dialogue.  But let's not stop there. We should
>discuss relevant research as related to this issue.  I am working on
>relevant research projects; I am interested in collaborating with
>others.  But I am sure that some of you may have your own research
>interests along these lines and may need opportunities for
>collaboration as well.  I think that AEJ should consider an issue
>dedicated to media coverage of Brown to commemorate the 50th
>anniversary of Brown.
>
>
>
>--
>A. Fleming-Rife, Ph.D.
>Assistant Professor
>304A James
>College of Communications
>The Pennsylvania State University
>State College, PA 16802
>
>(O) 814-865-8135