Forum Takes Up Proposal to Ban Affirmative Action

Bar association discussion brings together backers, foes of ballot initiative

The Grand Rapids Press

By Ted Roelofs / The Grand Rapids Press

June 6, 2006

The year after a ban on affirmative action was approved in California, black admissions plunged at schools such as the University of California at Berkeley and UCLA. The Berkeley law school had one black student.

Ward Connerly championed that ban. And he expects similar things to happen in Michigan, if voters approve a ban on affirmative action.

But he insists it is a legitimate cost to correct a system he believes is discriminatory and wrong.

"No, I am not satisfied that those numbers went down. But I want black kids to understand that the only way they can be successful is to get themselves prepared. Learn writing. Learn reading. Do the math," said Connerly, who was to appear today at a Grand Rapids forum organized by the Grand Rapids Bar Association.

Although polls have shown a drop in support for the measure in recent weeks, the controversial former University of California regent said he remains confident his side will prevail.

"On some issues like race, you can't mislead people. They will vote on the basis of what they think is right."

Grand Rapids attorney Bruce Courtade believes just as strongly that affirmative action is good for Michigan business and its public schools.

He was to be part of a four-person panel that includes Connerly, Jennifer Gratz, executive director of the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, the group backing the ban, and Sister Monica Kostielney, president and CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference.

"It would send a very bad message at a time when we are trying to attract people to Michigan," Courtade said. "It says we are not interested in having a diverse work force."

Courtade maintained some form of affirmative action is needed to remedy a persistent lack of minority lawyers.

"We have constantly been striving to attract minority attorneys that can represent the constituency we serve. Despite massive efforts, the face of the bar hasn't changed.

"The reason is it is tougher for underrepresented minorities to get into elite colleges. I think it (the proposed ban) is going backwards."

According to Kristin VandenBerg, a trustee of the bar association, there are about 35 minority lawyers out of about 1,500 in the greater Grand Rapids area.

"The concern of the bar association is that many of the diversity initiatives taken by the bar to build a more diverse attorney membership in Grand Rapids will be undermined," VandenBerg said.

"It would be even more difficult to recruit people. We would be forced to go to out-of-state institutions for that."

As approved for the ballot, the measure would amend the state constitution to ban affirmative action programs based on race and gender in university admissions and government hiring.

It is opposed by an array of civic and corporate groups and by both candidates for governor, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her GOP opponent, Dick DeVos. House Speaker Craig DeRoche,

R-Novi, and Attorney General Mike Cox support it.

Connerly said he isn't buying the complaints of those in Michigan who said they were duped into signing the petition drive.

"This is phony. Is it our fault they didn't read the initiative? No, we didn't deceive them. If they didn't do their due diligence, that's their fault."

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Carl Gutiérrez-Jones,
Department of English
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Email: carlgj@english.ucsb.edu