Reader Mike L. sends me this little snippet:
The U.S. Department of Education has launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard University’s policies on legacy admissions.
Top colleges’ preferential treatment of children of alumni, who are often white, has faced mounting scrutiny since the Supreme Court last month struck down the use of affirmative action as a tool to boost the presence of students of color.
The department notified Lawyers for Civil Rights, a nonprofit based in Boston, on Monday that it was investigating the group’s claim that the university “discriminates on the basis of race by using donor and legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions process.”
An Education Department spokesperson confirmed its Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation at Harvard. The agency declined further comment.
I’ve always thought that giving alumni preference for their kids’ admissions was a nice touch, in that it established some kind of continuum or legacy (hence the name) for families. (My old school St. John’s College absolutely thrived on such a legacy — to see fathers and even grandfathers wearing the Old Boys’ tie was a sign of belonging like few others — and legacies always got automatic admission into what was an extremely limited enrollment.)
But nowadays, tradition and (especially, it seems) father-son or mother-daughter traditions are anathema to the Egalitarian Set, who equate what is essentially a courtesy into some kind of “inheritance” Bad Thing, akin to keeping title transference within the same family.
It’s a good thing we don’t have nobility titles Over Here, because otherwise some Human Rights pests in our Gummint would no doubt call for its abolition in the name of “equity”.
A pox on all of them.
By the way, I have no dog in this fight because I happen to think that any private institution should have the right to determine whom they prefer to see inside it as members — country clubs, universities, fraternities, companies, whatever.
The fact that Harvard, of all places, is getting bitten by this is satisfying, but only because Harvard is a stupefyingly-PC and much-overrated institution, and they deserve every bad thing that happens to them, the elitist bullshit artists.
“Children of alumni who are often white.” Well you could strike me down with a feather. Who in a million years would have imagined it? “Often”??? You mean, more than once? This is horrifying! Next thing you’ll be telling me that an US citizen selected at random may often be white!!! Stone the fucking crows!!!!
I agree with private clubs and organizations should choose who they admit. We have a right to association and a right to not associate with people.
JQ
But, once you take Caesar’s Gold, you must abide by Caesar’s edicts (and AFAIC, that includes applying for and accepting Non-Profit Status, etc.).
But, once you take Caesar’s Gold, you must abide by Caesar’s edicts (and AFAIC, that includes applying for and accepting Non-Profit Status, etc.).