Indiana Daily Student
4
OPINION
Monday, March 25, 2019 idsnews.com
THOUGHT POCKET
Editors Evan Carnes and Ally Melnik opinion@idsnews.com
JAC’S FACTS
Is meritocracy dead in college? Tiffany Xie is a junior in biology and English.
Federal prosecutors charged over 50 individuals early last week with engaging in an illegal scheme to get young adults into elite universities in one of the largest college admissions scandals to date. William Singer, the ringleader of a so-called college preparatory business, allegedly orchestrated cheating on standardized exams, fabricated student athlete profiles and bribed university staff to try and “game the system” of college admissions. Individuals have responded to the recent admissions scandal in different ways. Some pity the students, whose parents took part because they did not believe their child could get into an elite university without cheating. Others bemoan the rise of “snowplow parents” who, by attempting to keep their children’s paths obstaclefree, prevent their children from growing up. The scandal casts a dark light on access to higher education in the U.S., where colleges and universities try to appear meritocratic but are often anything but. There are injustices in college admissions that persist, legally. Aside from legacy students, high-profile celebrities also have an advantage in admissions. For the less famous, affluent students can take advantage of consultants who tailor application essays, personal tutoring and not to mention the cost of extracurriculars. I grew up in Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis, as one such student. Many of my classmates took extra classes in the evenings, taught by Chinese-American professors and parents. They covered math, SAT problems and writing. Students in these classes went on to Ivy League schools. My parents never signed me up for extra classes or college coaching, but it’s easy for me to feel complicit. I took weekly piano and viola lessons, which cost upwards of $100 every week. They chauffeured me from school to swim practice to music lessons to club meetings. My father bought me a laptop so that I could do my homework. Sometimes I question which accomplishments result from my own work and which are contingent on my suburban upbringing. I received a fullmerit scholarship at IU. Did I get in on my own merit? The recent scandal reminds me of my own experience applying to college. I didn’t cheat on the SAT or submit a fraudulent application, but I did have advantages in other ways. Thinking about the quasi-legal and illegal lengths some go just to get into college makes me question what Americans want our education system to look like. How much weight do we place on need and how much on merit? Do we want to expand access to college education, and if so, to whom? Does this look different at Harvard versus IU? IU is insulated from the competition and scandal of Ivy League privilege and elitism, to some extent. But this does not exempt the university from greater investment in student retention services and expanding access to education. If we want to remedy this, then the college admissions process at selective universities must change. But if universities truly want to expand access to education and promote equity, this cannot stop at the admissions process. Colleges must emphasize student retention, post-graduation plans and free academic support. We cannot only open the door to higher education. We must also guide students through it. tifxie@iu.edu
The beautiful journey of being biracial Jaclyn Ferguson is a sophomore in journalism.
“I didn’t know you were adopted.” Freshman year of high school, a fellow classmate blatantly spewed that ignorant sentence out of her mouth when she saw my mom pick me up after school. Yes, my mother has straight, silky blond hair, vivacious blue eyes and a light complexion. I have thick curly hair, dark eyes and a caramel color skin that can quickly turn three shades darker in the sun. But no, I am not adopted. That blond-hair, blue-eyed woman gave birth to me. I am a proud biracial woman. Everyone needs to be cognizant of comments made toward biracial people. Not every experience is the same, and it is discriminatory to pit our races against each other. The amount of biracial people in America has been increasing in recent years. On the 2010 U.S. Census, 2.9 percent of the total population reported multiple races. This was up from 2.4 percent in 2000. Being biracial of black and
white descent in a country that is so diverse, yet so divided, has been a complicated yet beautiful experience that I would not trade for the world. I have family members who have been able to acquire great wealth and a grandmother who marched during the civil rights movement. When I was young, I didn’t see race. My sisters looked like me and although my parents did not, I lived in a house full of love and life, so it did not matter. As a carefree 8-year-old girl with four missing teeth who just wanted to climb trees and cut Barbie dolls’ hair there was not much to question. But as I grew up, I began to have identity issues that I typically kept to myself. Due to working hard in school and being a well-spoken individual, I was often called an “Oreo.” This refers to being “white on the inside but black on the outside.” Everyone likes Oreos, but trust me, nobody likes being called one. Feeling as though my blackness was undermined due to simply being an articu-
late young woman was difficult. On the other hand, if I got a little too passionate and angry about something I cared about, it would be viewed as my “black side coming out.” As if black women are always angry and white women are unable to be passionate about anything. The summer after seventh grade I had a dark tan I initially wore with a glowing confidence. But my hair also turned into a sandy blond color. Someone told me that the combination of dark skin and light hair made me look “really weird.” These instances made the journey to self-discovery and identification difficult. Due to society and culture, I identify more with my black side and have a stronger sense of relatability to black people than white people. But that does not mean I ignore my white heritage. I do recognize the many privileges I have that come with being half-white. If I have to check one box on an identification form, I mark black.
JENNIFER LEE | IDS
Jacyln Ferguson writes about being biracial in the United States and how she has been faced with prejudice and stereotypes.
That does not make me confused or ignorant as to who I am as an individual. No, it does not mean I am another Rachel Dolezal. I simply have more experiences similar to black women than white women. Although it did not always come easy, I love who I am and am confident in every corner and crevice of my ancestry. I am comfortable around individuals of all backgrounds and can easily connect to people regardless of race. Additionally, I have a strong sense of self-identification and acceptance, which I attribute to the diversity I have been surround by since birth. So no, I am not adopted, and you cannot compare my personality to a cookie. I am a combination of two races that are able to blend however I feel fit. That is the beauty of being biracial. jaraferg@iu.edu
JONAH’S JUSTIFICATIONS
The anti-BDS law suppresses free speech countrywide Jonah Hyatt is a sophomore in political science and philosophy.
Throughout the national conversation regarding antiSemitism and U.S. support for Israel, many states have silently been passing proIsrael legislation that critics say suppresses free speech rights. Indiana is one of 26 states that has anti-BDS legislation. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement is a political activist campaign that pressures Israel to comply with international law with regard to Israeli apartheid and colonial occupation of Palestinian territory. The campaign is a consumer boycott of companies and institutions that participate in the human rights violations toward Palestinians and to hold Israel legally accountable for its actions just like any other nation. Israel, as well as many of its U.S. supporters, has taken the position that this campaign is anti-Semitic, claiming it seeks the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state. The anti-BDS legislation that many states have passed requires that anyone who does business with the government sign a pledge to not be in support of the movement. Proponents claim this law has no bearing on the individual’s right to freely express their support of the movement, but the problem is that this law financially threatens the individual or organization by forcing them to take a position on an issue.
TRIBUNE NEW SERVICE
This law is a brazen violation of the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has already ruled laws targeting independent contractors with impromptu government legislation unconstitutional, albeit when the laws in question are in retaliation to the expression of free speech. In the Supreme Court’s 1996 ruling in Board of County Commissioners, Wabaunsee County, Kansas, Petitioner, v. Keen A. Umbehr, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote in the opinion of the Court that the First Amendment rights of employees are to be extended to government contractors as well, and for the government to restrict freedom of speech, it must be of compelling state
interest. Anti-BDS laws like Indiana’s House Bill 1378 are clearly not protecting a compelling state interest but are actually enacted to quell free speech on the movement. Recently, Alan Leveritt, founder of Little Rock’s newspaper the Arkansas Times, has been taking a stand against Arkansas’ similar anti-BDS legislation. The newspaper is free to the public and stays afloat using ad revenue. A major contributor to the paper’s ad revenue is University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. Since the university is funded by the state, the Arkansas Times was asked to sign a pledge to not support BDS, and Leveritt refused.
The loss of revenue for the newspaper was severe, near $15,000, which threatened the paper’s ability to stay in business. The Arkansas Times does not participate in BDS; however, nearly 10 percent of the paper’s revenue comes from the state, which makes legislation like this significantly dangerous for businesses. It is not clear how antiBDS legislation began but it is clear that pro-Israel lobbying groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have a significant impact on legislation like this being implemented, as pointed out by Arkansas Sen. Bart Hester, R-Bentonville. When interviewed by Vice News, Hester admitted
to checking with groups like AIPAC for template legislation when crafting Arkansas’ bill. Anti-BDS legislation like this is explicitly unconstitutional and is used to make a statement by stifling free speech. It is evident that lobbying and campaign finance have a significant role in American politics and point to the root of the problem: money in politics. Without immediate change to money’s role in politics, the U.S. will see no shortage of moneyed interests pushing legislation like this, which directly conflicts civil liberties and harms American businesses. hyattj@iu.edu
LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY The IDS encourages and accepts letters to be printed from IU students, faculty and staff and the public. Letters should not exceed 350 words and may be edited for length and style. Submissions must include the person’s name, address and telephone number for verification.
Letters without those requirements will not be considered for publication. Letters can be mailed or dropped off at the IDS, 601 E. Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, IN 47405. Send submissions via e-mail to letters@idsnews.com. Call the IDS with questions at 812-855-0760.