UT sued for considering race in admissions

[sonias]

The lowdown on higher education blog 4/7/08
UT sued for considering race in admissions

The University of Texas is violating the Constitution and civil rights laws by considering race and ethnicity in deciding whether to admit students, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Austin today.

The plaintiff, Abigail Noel Fisher, 18, a student at Stephen F. Austin High School in Sugar Land, applied to UT and received a rejection letter last month. She ranked in the top 12 percent of her class.

UT is required under state law to accept any student from Texas in the top 10 percent. The university considers race and ethnicity, among other factors, in deciding whether to admit other students. Fisher is white.

"But for her race and ethnicity, it is our belief she would have been admitted to the University of Texas," said Edward Blum, director of the Project on Fair Representation, a legal-defense group that fights the use of race and ethnicity in public policy.

Here we go again.
:popcorn:

Sonia

[Gman]

1. Top 12%? I wonder what her grades, references, etc. look like

there's much more too it than race.

[sonias]

2. Playing the race card on the other side

The Rs have been gunning for the Top 10% rule for awhile. And the universities don't like it either. I don't know what her bio and stats are like but considering that the legal defense team is primarily against any kind of affirmative action, I'll go out on a limb and say they're primarily Rs. She didn't qualify under the top 10% rule because she wasn't in the Top 10%. So they're basically trying to make a case that white kids that go to affluent school systems, are brighter than the Top 10% of kids from certain school districts - so the Top 10% rule isn't fair.

Our problem in Texas is that we have too many good students who want to go to the flagship universities. Instead of expanding the university system in Texas and build new flagship universities we make our students compete for very few slots. Everyone of these kids deserves to go to a Texas school if they want to. It's just a shame that we can't accommodate everybody that wants to go to school in Texas.

:shrug:

Sonia

[Gman]

3. Because of disparities in funding

she probably does have a better education than someone from the Houston ISD, for instance. But, the rule is 10% and she didn't make the cut. So, since rules don't apply to Republics, she files a lawsuit. Figures.

The best deal around in education is still community colleges. Do your first two years on a 2+2 program at the community college, then do your last 2 at any state university you want. No entrance requirements after you have 30 hours other than to be in good standing. THen you get a degree from the state U.

IN any event, after 5 years, it doesn't matter where you got your degree from... unless it's A&M and you're a member of that cult for life.

[Stop Cornyn]

4. She didn't get in because she didn't do nearly well enough on the SAT. I'm sure her mommy told her

it was because of racial discrimination, but it's high-time someone told her she's just not that bright.

[WolverineDG]

5. What? All the Houston schools suck?

Jeez, why does everyone have to go to UT-Austin? :eyes:

dg

[sonias]

6. Think of this "separate but equal" scenario

The state in it's infinite wisdom, sets up a new branch of UT. Big campus, top notch professors, same curriculum. So anyone rejected at UT-Austin who meets the qualifications, can gain admission to UT-wherever. The only difference is that the existing sports programs have to stay at UT because the infrastructure is already there and too expensive to split up. So Ms. 12% student gets accepted to the other UT flagship school. They'll get sports programs but they have to build them up over time.

Would Ms. 12% think that was a second class school? Why does she want to go to UT? Is it really the value of the curriculum or is it the party atmosphere and sports program?

:shrug:


Sonia

[WolverineDG]

8. If she wanted to party

she should have applied at San Marcos. :evilgrin: Jeezus, everyone knows that!

dg

[sonias]

9. You are right - I went to "Texas State" one summer

Big time party school. It was Southwest Texas State University then.

It's really a nice campus too.

Sonia

[Horse with no Name]

14. Shows how much YOU know

Nac is the party school!:smoke:

[tammywammy]

7. Sigh

I was accepted to UT Austin under the 10% rule, yet I couldn't afford to go there. I should have sued. LOL. I went to UNT instead. There are many excellent universities in Texas, she should just go to another one. I had friends that started at other universities and then transferred to UT Austin in their sophomore year.

[sonias]

10. Yep you don't have to start there to graduate from there

Tammy I noticed your Obama logo generated image is different now. I like the one with the kitty/helmet too!

:applause:

Sonia

[tammywammy]

11. I think I preferred that one too

I had an encounter with a poster that kept going on and on about how offensive someone's Jesus in the logo pissed them off, that I kinda just had to do it.

Plus, everyone already knows that lime kitty is totally on board with Obama. :)

[sonias]

12. I hear ya sister!

Jesus is alright with me - and we know Obama is alright with him too!


Sonia

[tammywammy]

13. It's all good

I did get called disgusting since I changed it while the exchange was going on. LOL

Ahhh, the amusements of GD: P. :)

[Horse with no Name]

15. So she is mad that she didn't get accepted under the 10% rule

when she was 12%
:rofl:
Therein lies our problem folks.