Abstract
Diversity in the work-place, the school room or the production line is not usually done by popularity poll or the kind heartedness of the majority; in the majority of cases it has had to be mandated. This paper examines the history of affirmative action in the state of California. It centers on Proposition 209 which aims to reverse affirmative action in California.

Paper Outline:
Introduction
Background
The Peaks and Valleys of Affirmative Action in California
Proposition 209
Conclusions
References

From the Paper
"What the framers of this Proposition have done is two-fold. First, they are almost claiming that prior legislation has resulted in reverse discrimination. (To some degree, it had.) As a matter of fact, instead of strengthening affirmative action policies, it will "allow for vast discrepancies in hiring and promotion because it does away with one very powerful tool: affirmative action." The other effect of the writing of Proposition 209 is to refer to Affirmative Action as "preferential treatment". By using this idea, the writers of the Proposition have already provided a reason for voter opposition to the Proposition. In a sense, a vote FOR Proposition 209 would be a decisive vote against the federal Civil Rights legislation."

Tags:civil, rights, SP-1, reverse, discrimination, republican, democrat, CCRI