Ten years ago voters in California approved proposition 209, which prohibited discrimination or preferential treatment by state or public entities. Specifically, the act, “Prohibits the state, local governments, districts, public universities, colleges, and schools, and other government instrumentalities from discriminating against or giving preferential treatment to any individual or group in public employment, public education, or public contracting on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.”

Here’s a link to the arguments for and against back in 1996.

This week, behind closed doors, the San Francisco School Board will attempt to narrowly tailor factors of race into their enrollment policy to determine where students will attend within the San Francisco public school system. Proponents argue that San Francisco schools have become too segregated while opponents are arguing that it’s a direct violation of proposition 209 and because it was held behind closed doors, it may violate the Brown Act.

Link to story

In South LA, the UCLA Chancellor is holding town hall meetings discussing recent changes to UCLA’s admissions process saying they will take a new holistic viewpoint in which a student’s academic record will be viewed in light of personal experiences and challenges. Story here...

The California Teachers Association opposed proposition 209 in 1996 and is generally pro-affirmative action. With recent gains in Congress and a continued majority within the state of California of pro-teacher union interests at the state level, will we see a rewrite of prop 209 soon?

If prop 209 clearly outlines the law, how are these programs getting around the will of the voters?

Are we more segregated now, then we were ten years ago?

Does race still matter in admissions?