Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Unfortunate Necessity Of AAP Compliance

By Shirley Peterson


The world is not equal and it never has been. As long as there is human society, there will always be those who believe themselves to be superior in some way. Consequently, some people will be marginalized. Through the generations, the lines between the groups may blur a little bit, but the descendants of the marginalized may continue to experience discrimination. But parts of the world are moving past that. Which is why some companies have plans to do so adhere to their AAP compliance.

Affirmative action is the method by which companies and government institutions seek to combat, or make up for, the historical discrimination experienced by marginalized communities. It seeks to gives those from said communities the exact same opportunities for entering the workforce and being admitted into educational institutions that people from more privileged communities receive simply by virtue of having the right ancestors of the right color.

Companies can have AAPs for a number of reasons. A person from a marginalized group could have risen up in the hierarchy, high enough to affect such a change. Sometimes, the government can mandate non discriminatory hiring practices.

Policies to be more objective are still needed. Life and media consumed are always going to affect how a person perceives the world and society by extent. The tribal instinct in man is always an omnipresent threat to fairness, especially if nurtured, as people are more reluctant to hire those who they perceive as different.

There has been some controversy regarding such actions, especially in regards to educational institutions. It is long rumored that many of the top colleges and universities have quotas for minorities, particularly racial minorities. This works in the sense that most colleges and universities only have a select number of slots available for each incoming school year, and that a number of those slots are set aside exclusively for racial or ethnic minorities.

When it comes to being hired, an AAP can make all the difference in the world for a person of color. The AAP itself does not guarantee employment, but it can make being considered for a job much more viable. The hiring process, particularly those that do the actual hiring, can be very unfair to minorities, but fair policies at least makes it possible to be hired.

But the plan for a more egalitarian workplace does not end with more people of color. Women also benefit from it. Many bosses, particularly male, have this belief that women will not be as effective in the workplace, or be a distraction. By having policies in place to actively challenge such sexist notions, women will have an easier time entering the labor market.

The world has made affirmative action necessary. Specifically, racist and sexist attitudes have made it necessary to consciously consider minorities and women as fully capable workers and students. Until racism and sexism completely disappear from the public mind, affirmative action will continue to be necessary. It does guarantee a minority of employment, but it does help them get considered for it.

The historical oppression faced by some people cannot and should not be ignored. Neither workplace nor the school exist in a post racial, post gender bubble isolated from society. Both are still affected by the transgressions of the past. Both must try to move forwards.




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