Thank you, Tribune, for columnist Richard Estrada. Even though he belongs to what we call a “minority” group, he usually sees both sides of a story regarding minorities. Rather than take an unyielding stance to maintain affirmative action in college admissions, he notes that the problems may start long before college (“Race-based policies losing their luster,” Op-Ed, Nov. 18).
After discussing ways that various groups are trying to get around anti-affirmative action, Estrada writes, “The most important question is what to do about a public school system that fails minority youth to the point that so few of them ever graduate from high school, let alone ponder the minefield of university admissions and scholarships.”
I might add that helping to establish socio-economic equality and a stable home life would also be among the priorities that would help children climb that educational ladder.
