Problem
I. Read "Achieving Diversity on Campus" by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on pages 34-35 and answer the following questions:
A. Why did Grutter maintain that she had been treated unfairly by the University of Michigan Law School?
B. Why is Justice Powell's opinion in the Bakke case considered a landmark decision regarding college admissions?
C. On what grounds did the Supreme Court argue that attaining a diverse student body is an important part of an institution's mission?
D. What conditions and rough time limitations did the court place on using race in college admissions?
II. After reading both selections from the Critical Thinking Issues section, answer the following: Compare and contrast the arguments used by Nancy Cantor and the U.S. Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor regarding the use of affirmative action in college admissions. Which person makes the best argument? Support your answer.
III. Based on what you have read about these cases, discuss whether affirmative action has a place in a democracy that is built on equal rights for all citizens, or if it is a violation of the fundamental principle of fairness.