A judicious assessment of the history of affirmative action, with strong arguments for diversity in the wake of its demise.
Opportunity for all.
For many Americans, affirmative action remains a pathway to economic and social advancement. Others, however, believe it to be an impediment to fair evaluation. This book by Driver, a professor at Yale Law School, shows how the Supreme Court played the defining role in determining the place of race and gender in the fabric of American life. It focuses on the 2023 case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (abbreviated as SFFA) as the decision that effectively killed affirmative action as a legally enshrined practice. Driver argues that the tradition of taking race into consideration in college admissions created opportunities for historically underrepresented minority students. The author presents material from surveys and studies to show that classroom and workplace diversity enhances intellectual inquiry and fosters a productive competitiveness in the economy at large. He also reviews the arguments against affirmative action: that it privileges identity over accomplishment; that it potentially advances students who are otherwise unprepared for “elite” institutions; that it runs counter to a race-blind ideal of American meritocracy. SFFA was, in the author’s view, a radical decision, one made not transparently through argument and evidence, but disingenuously. Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion “managed to violate virtually every tenet of the judicial approach that he announced [during his confirmation hearings]….The opinion evinced no willingness whatsoever to relinquish his own ideological priors in order to embrace the larger institutional considerations.” In short, SFFA was a product of changes in court personnel rather than of principled argument. It is now up to universities, the author argues, not to acquiesce in the face of judicial spinelessness or presidential extortion, but rather to fight vigorously for classrooms inclusive of all Americans, irrespective of the color of their skin or the thickness of their wallets.
A judicious assessment of the history of affirmative action, with strong arguments for diversity in the wake of its demise.Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9798987053768
Page Count: 280
Publisher: Columbia Global Reports
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
This guide to Black culture for White people is accessible but rarely easy.
A former NFL player casts his gimlet eye on American race relations.
In his first book, Acho, an analyst for Fox Sports who grew up in Dallas as the son of Nigerian immigrants, addresses White readers who have sent him questions about Black history and culture. “My childhood,” he writes, “was one big study abroad in white culture—followed by studying abroad in black culture during college and then during my years in the NFL, which I spent on teams with 80-90 percent black players, each of whom had his own experience of being a person of color in America. Now, I’m fluent in both cultures: black and white.” While the author avoids condescending to readers who already acknowledge their White privilege or understand why it’s unacceptable to use the N-word, he’s also attuned to the sensitive nature of the topic. As such, he has created “a place where questions you may have been afraid to ask get answered.” Acho has a deft touch and a historian’s knack for marshaling facts. He packs a lot into his concise narrative, from an incisive historical breakdown of American racial unrest and violence to the ways of cultural appropriation: Your friend respecting and appreciating Black arts and culture? OK. Kim Kardashian showing off her braids and attributing her sense of style to Bo Derek? Not so much. Within larger chapters, the text, which originated with the author’s online video series with the same title, is neatly organized under helpful headings: “Let’s rewind,” “Let’s get uncomfortable,” “Talk it, walk it.” Acho can be funny, but that’s not his goal—nor is he pedaling gotcha zingers or pleas for headlines. The author delivers exactly what he promises in the title, tackling difficult topics with the depth of an engaged cultural thinker and the style of an experienced wordsmith. Throughout, Acho is a friendly guide, seeking to sow understanding even if it means risking just a little discord.
This guide to Black culture for White people is accessible but rarely easy.Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-80046-6
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Essential guidance on proactively navigating the challenges of gender-diverse student bodies.
A comprehensive look at gender-diverse youth in the classroom.
As the transgender student population continues to become more widely visible, navigation tools have become critical for educators and parents alike, notes Key, a veteran gender diversity educator. While written with parents of trans+ children in mind, the book is primarily directed at teachers, administrators, and school staff who directly impact students’ lives on a daily basis. Key shows readers what is involved when a child considers a gender transition process, and he confronts the challenges of gender inclusion, which may be a new topic for some readers. Particularly striking are the stories from parents of trans+ students who are managing the stages of their own apprehension alongside those of their child. Key incorporates learning points on gender vernacular and fighting community stigmatization. Personal anecdotes and timely discussions from school educators complement instructive illustrations and Q&A sections that answer sensitive questions regarding sports participation, bathroom choices, and changing areas. In an encouraging, consistently positive manner, Key addresses the overt political and/or cultural resistance that proliferates within heated debates and public forum discussions, and he asserts that accurate information is the best way to educate and collaborate. He stresses the importance of delivering practical, real-world discussion tools and assistance to parents and educators of trans+ children, who often find themselves without resources, advice, answers, or support to fortify what can often be an overwhelmingly complex experience. Key’s checklists of suggestions successfully bridge the gap between trans+ kids, adults, and school educators with strategically supportive approaches and behaviors. Authoritative yet written in pleasant, straightforward language, this book is an invaluable resource for understanding what it clearly means (and doesn’t mean) to be transgender while ensuring that every student has access to an optimal learning environment free from discrimination.
Essential guidance on proactively navigating the challenges of gender-diverse student bodies.Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780190886547
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Oxford Univ.
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
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