Education and Achievement

 Lots of recent discussion about "elite" schools that require rigorous tests for admittance.  The complaints center around the "under-representation" of certain racial/cultural groups - typically Black and Hispanic - and the "over-representation" of others - mostly Asians.  The most common "fix" seems to be to lower that standards to assure a "representative" mix.

I have so many problems with this that it's hard to know where to start.  First, Over and Under representation based on race is a distorted measure.  It assumes that there are differences in racial scholarship that are based upon race itself.  So the very beginning assumption is racist.  

Second, the culture of the individuals towards learning and academics is disregarded completely.  Anyone of any race that is raised to value learning and academics has an advantage over anyone of any race who is not raised to value learning and academics.  The tales you can hear about Black students being told that they are "acting white" if they care about grades is a self-defeating cultural behavior that has nothing to do with "white superiority".

Finally, there are multiple solutions that do not involve effective racial quotas.  Focus on those middle schools that are failing prepare their students for such success.  Provide after school advancement programs to allow those individuals with the desire to get the extra help they may need.  Reject strongly the notion that academic success is any way more difficult because of your race.  

There is an old saying - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  High demand academic schools were founded to produce students with strong academic foundations for future success - they generally preform that function will.  Only be changing the definition to what they are supposed to do (i.e., represent all races "equally") can a "fix" be justified.  Unfortunately, the fix of lowering standards defeats the founding purpose.  And it's racist and stupid!