Prop 2

I am ashamed that Prop 2 passed in Michigan. Michigan bent to the will of a millionaire in California and did not think on its own. Even with the success of Democrats in Michigan (and around the country), people in Michigan made this one grave error on Tuesday. This ban on affirmative action is just one more step back in time. Michigan, with one vote, rolled back progress and hurt Michigan than it could ever know. One United Michigan had it right opposing Prop 2, but sadly, the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) (which actually does NOT support civil rights) won. We must not stop pushing against this ban, just because it has passed in Michigan. We must keep looking for ways to help affirmative action. The passage of this proposal not only stops college admissions preferences based on gender or ethnicity, but it will also hurt programs that are aimed for one gender (like girls science camps) or one race (like a Latino Youth Conference by Grand Rapids Community College).

Now, that Prop 2 has passed:

- Programs that help women achieve equal pay for equal work will be eliminated.

- Education scholarships and financial aid for women and people of color will be prohibited.

- Housing and lending programs that make sure women and people of color are treated fairly and without discrimination when applying for home loans and mortgages will be banned.

- Outreach programs for middle and high school girls encouraging them to become scientists and engineers will be eliminated.


A New York Times article highlights the continuing fight against this ban in Michigan. "A day after Michigan approved a proposition barring affirmative action in public education, employment or contracting, opponents filed a federal lawsuit challenging the measure as unconstitutional." The article goes on to say that "George B. Washington, the lawyer who filed the suit for a pro-affirmative-action group known as By Any Means Necessary, said states could not pre-empt federal antidiscrimination laws."

Thankfully educators are still fighting for affirmative action. The president of the University of Michigan, Mary Sue Coleman, pledged to “consider every legal option available” to continue to fight for diversity on campus. Coleman also said that California's approval of an affirmative action ban 10 years ago is "a horribly failed experiment that has dramatically weakened the diversity of the state's most selective universities."

Now that the Democrats have taken control of the US House and Senate, they might (and should) take action on the federal level to support this necessary process.