Diversity Editorial Misguided

Brad Edward White's article on affirmative action (March 17) grounds its criticism on a fundamentally flawed conception of what affirmative action truly represents. By describing both the purported inflation of minority students' grades and the affirmative action program as the results of benevolent white patronizing. White draws an unfair parallel, which distorts the true nature and goals of affirmative action in college admissions.

White repeatedly refers to affirmative action as "special treatment" for minority students. He denounces all forms of "special treatment" in college admissions, "whether the criterion is race, athletic ability, or legacy status." Yet White's position implies wrongly that these factors are extraneous to the credentials necessary for college admission.

Race, athletic ability, and even legacy status (among many other factors) represent pertinent qualifications for admission to an institution striving for student diversity.

Individuals bring to an institution more than their transcripts and SAT scores. They bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives that enrich the education of all students. Affirmative action is not an attempt to promote minorities at the expense of whites. Rather, the program strives to achieve diversity integral to a balanced education.

Brad White's article serves only to promote the idea that minority students are "underqualified."

Not until we recognize that qualifications include the essential criteria that White dismisses can we realize the truly positive nature of affirmative action. Derek Ho '96.