The Unfortunate Necessity Of AAP Compliance

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By Shirley Peterson


The world is not equal and it never has been. As long as there is human society, there will always be those who believe themselves to be superior in some way. Consequently, some people will be marginalized. Through the generations, the lines between the groups may blur a little bit, but the descendants of the marginalized may continue to experience discrimination. But parts of the world are moving past that. Which is why some companies have plans to do so adhere to their AAP compliance.

An AAP is an affirmative action plan. An AAP is the way a company plans to combat the historical discrimination experienced by certain groups. The main thrust of affirmative action is to be conscious of giving applicants of color the same shot that more privileged applicants receive, whether it be for employment or education, as applicants of color historically get the short end of the stick for no reason other than having ancestors who were forced to pick cotton in a plantation.

Companies can have AAPs for a number of reasons. A person from a marginalized group could have risen up in the hierarchy, high enough to affect such a change. Sometimes, the government can mandate non discriminatory hiring practices.

Unfortunately, AAPs are still necessary. No one lives inside a bubble of objectivity. Society and the media are always going to steer a person towards an opinion one way or another, creating bias in some form. Because this bias, combined with the ingrained instinct towards tribalism, can lead to discrimination, policies have to be put in place to make sure that the hiring or admittance process is as free from bias as possible.

When it comes to education, bias continues to be a factor. Students of color, particularly those of a darker color, tend to be accepted at lower rates than paler peers. There is a belief that many universities and colleges have quotas for racial minorities and that these quotas can prevent a more qualified person who is not a racial minority from being given admittance.

Having an AAP in place does not guarantee that more racial or ethnic minorities will be hired. But it does help more people from marginalized groups to find employment. By mandating that race or ethnicity not be considered in the hiring process, it makes the employment process a little more color blind.

But the plan for a more egalitarian workplace does not end with more people of color. Women also benefit from it. Many bosses, particularly male, have this belief that women will not be as effective in the workplace, or be a distraction. By having policies in place to actively challenge such sexist notions, women will have an easier time entering the labor market.

The world has made affirmative action necessary. Specifically, racist and sexist attitudes have made it necessary to consciously consider minorities and women as fully capable workers and students. Until racism and sexism completely disappear from the public mind, affirmative action will continue to be necessary. It does guarantee a minority of employment, but it does help them get considered for it.

Even with necessary policies, equality of outcome is not guaranteed, nor should it be. What is safeguarded, at least in principal, is equality of opportunity. Moving forward requires that everyone be given a fair chance.




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