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ACLU urges legislators to reject elimination of state affirmative
action programs in university admissions and minority contracting
Suggests specific amendments if One Florida Initiative goes forward
February 7, 2000
The ACLU urged the One Florida Task Force and Gov. Jeb Bush to drop plans to scrap affirmative action programs that take race and gender into account in state policies governing admissions to Florida universities and in awarding state contracts.
If the One Florida Initiative does go forward, the ACLU suggested a number of specific amendments to the Governor's Executive Order.
In a letter to the One Florida Task Force and Gov. Bush, Florida ACLU Executive Director Howard Simon charged that the Governor's One Florida Initiative is "a short_term response to an immediate political problem," rather than "a long_term formula to achieve gender equity and racial justice, and the full integration of Florida's diverse population."
While affirmative action is only one method, and not a perfect method, to remedy continuing race and gender discrimination, "it is premature to abandon affirmative action programs as a strategy to achieve race and gender equity," Simon said in his letter to legislators.
The ACLU Director also urged a number of changes to the One Florida Initiative to ensure that Florida's colleges would not fall victim to resegregation and to ensure that minorities are adequately prepared for college and will be equitably represented in the top 20% of the state's high school graduates.
The ACLU also urged legislators not to scrap policies designed to increase the state's record of awarding contracts with female_owned and minority businesses based "on little more than a pledge, even a sincere pledge" to do better. The ACLU urged that, if the One Florida Initiative is to be approved, specific goals for an equitable percentage of minority contracts, a timetable for achieving those goals, and some enforcement mechanism also be enacted.
- Click here to read the text of the letter to legislators and Gov. Bush by Florida ACLU Director Howard Simon
