LATE BREAKING NEWS: The college admissions scandal, in which 50 people including celebrities have been indicted for scheming to get the children of rich and privileged parents into top schools. It involves parents who, prosecutors allege, bribed and cheated their kids’ way into prestigious universities.
Elwood Watson, Ph.D. is a Professor of history, African American Studies and Gender Studies. He is also an author and public speaker. His forthcoming book, Keepin' It Real: Essays on Race in Contemporary America will be published by the University of Chicago Press later this year in the Legal Academy. He is also the author of Outsiders Within: Black Women in the Legal Academy After Brown V. Board (Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2008). (Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Spring 2008)
Terry Howard is an award-winning writer and story teller. He is also a contributing writer with the Chattanooga New Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Atlanta Business Journal, The Shenandoah Valley Hit, Catalyst, The Echo World and recipient of the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King Leadership Award.
Terry Howard is an award-winning writer and story teller. He is also a contributing writer with the Chattanooga New Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Atlanta Business Journal, The Shenandoah Valley Hit, Catalyst, The Echo World and recipient of the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King Leadership Award.
Latest posts by Elwood Watson and Terry Howard (see all)
The scandal and exposure of unfair privileges some wealthy parents deceptive employ to benefit their children or those that are connected with them is the tip of the iceberg in the systemic inequality that is ubiquitous in our society, and in fact, in our entire global community.
The question should not be limited to a few of those that have been caught and exposed, the question should big bigger than that, the question should be, what systemic structure should be imbued into a system that often allow unfair people the opportunity to deceptively rig the system to their benefit those that are connected to them while pushing the false narrative of meritocracy as the source of their success and the success of those they deceptively helped by rigging the system.
Dr. Watson, you always have the insight to speak out what needs to be said. I personally am very happy that these inequities in the whole admissions process is finally being exposed for what has been happening for decades. It will be interesting to see whether the ‘elite’ colleges and universities will do anything different to make up for the inequities that have hurt many students who have worked hard and done with integrity what society has always said was the best way to attain admission to the college of choice. There should be some reparations enacted for first generation and/more minority students who have worked hard but were denied admission. Only time will tell whether the status quo continues or whether real policy changes take place to rectify these unfair practices.
Totally, 100% accurate! It is very revealing to me that white people never questioned the legitimacy of the other white students, but automatically questioned the legitimacy of the students of color! Total example of implicit bias!!!
I am glad that the veil of the delusion/illusion of the meritocracy has been ripped off!