“Public Backs Affirmative Action, but Not Minority Preferences”

Jun 29th, 2009 • Posted in: Research Report

Poll finds that different phrasings of same concept elicit disparate reactions

From the Pew Research Center:

“With the Supreme Court expected to soon rule on a case involving job discrimination claims by white firefighters, and Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s decision in a lower court ruling on the case drawing scrutiny, there is renewed focus on public opinion about affirmative action programs and overall efforts to improve the position of minorities in this country. The public has generally been supportive of such efforts, but is decidedly opposed to the idea of providing preferential treatment to minorities.

“In the most recent Pew Research Center values survey, released May 21, just 31% agreed that ‘we should make every effort to improve the position of blacks and minorities, even if it means giving them preferential treatment.’ More than twice as many (65%) disagreed with this statement. That balance of opinion has fluctuated only modestly through the 22-year history of the values survey.

“The values survey revealed continuing racial differences in attitudes about this issue. Majorities of both African Americans (58%) and Hispanics (53%) favor preferential treatment to improve the position of blacks and other minorities; just 22% of whites agree….

“While the public rejects the use of preferential treatment to improve the position of minorities, in the past it has expressed broad support for affirmative action programs aimed at helping blacks and women gain access to better jobs and education.

“In January 2007, 70% said they favored ‘affirmative action programs to help blacks, women and other minorities get better jobs and education,’ while 25% opposed these programs. Support for affirmative action programs had increased substantially from the mid-1990s….

“Notably, between 1995 and 2007 there was a sharp increase in the proportion of whites expressing support for affirmative action programs….

“Pew Research surveys have found far less support for affirmative action programs when they are described as giving preferences to African Americans. In 2007, as part of a major survey about public opinion about race relations, the Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends project asked separate groups of respondents different questions about affirmative action programs intended to ‘overcome past discrimination.’

“One group was asked about affirmative action programs ‘designed to help blacks get better jobs and education:’ 60% favored these programs, while 30% were opposed. The other group was asked about affirmative action programs that ‘give special preferences to qualified blacks in hiring and education.’ Opinion was more evenly divided in this case; 46% favored affirmative action programs that give special preferences to qualified blacks, while 40% oppose these programs….”

For the full release from Pew, June 2, click here.

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2 Responses »

1. Ethics Newsline® » Statline » Language Matters on June 29th, 2009 at 6:57 pm:

   [...] more information, see this week’s Research Report.  Print This Story  Email This [...]

2. Ethics Newsline® » News » Arrest of Prominent Black Scholar Triggers Charges of Racial Bias on July 27th, 2009 at 7:27 pm:

   [...] more information, see:  Related Newsline story, June 29 — Related Newsline story, June 15 –  Related Newsline story, June 1 [...]

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