Board of Education to debate affirmative action resolution

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By KEVIN ABOUREZK / Lincoln Journal Star

Few answers. More questions.

That’s what Nebraska Board of Education members got Wednesday after hearing from state education and university staff about the possible impact on educational programs from a proposed state ban on affirmative action.

The board will consider a resolution Thursday that would support racial, ethnic and gender diversity in state and local educational institutions. The resolution also would oppose efforts to narrow options available to institutions to increase diversity.

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Linda Crump

Linda Crump

The resolution is a reaction to an effort now under way to end race- and gender-based affirmative action in Nebraska through a constitutional ban.

“I think it’s important that we have this discussion now rather than a few months later after the petition drive,” said Carole Woods Harris, the board member who introduced the resolution.

Two state education department staff members and a University of Nebraska-Lincoln staff member spoke to the board about the proposed constitutional ban.

That effort is being led by Ward Connerly, a California businessman who heads the California-based Super Tuesday for Equal Rights. The group already has been successful in California, Michigan and Washington and is targeting five states, Nebraska included, this year.

 The group’s allies need to gather 115,000 petition signatures by July 4 to place a proposed constitutional ban on affirmative action before Nebraska voters in November.

NU regents already have voted to oppose the ban.

Linda Crump, assistant to the chancellor for equity, access and diversity programs at UNL, reiterated NU’s position Wednesday.

“I don’t see why the state of Nebraska needs this,” she said.

The university already is required to accept students who meet certain grade point average and testing standards, she said.

And universities in California saw a significant drop in minority students after voters approved a similar ban on affirmative action in 1996, she said.

As for what effect a similar ban would have in Nebraska, that remains to be seen, Crump said.

“Until it happens, I can’t tell you positively what the impact could be,” she said.

The ban could affect any number of programs and scholarships meant to recruit and retain women and minority students, she said.

Mary Ann Losh, an administrator with the state education department, outlined several programs that might be vulnerable to the proposed ban.

They included: a program to help Hispanics become teachers; ethnic student clubs at schools; and the state education department’s annual Hispanic/Latino Summit.

Margaret Worth, legal counsel for the state education department, said she is concerned about the proposed ban’s ambiguity and wonders whether the English Language Learner program could be affected.

Some, she said, have argued ELL is a race-based program.

Only one board member offered his opinion on the proposed ban Wednesday.

“I’m extremely skeptical of anybody from California coming to Nebraska to change our constitution,” said board president Fred Meyer.

Reach Kevin Abourezk at 473-7225 or kabourezk@journalstar.com.