by B Smith

Created on: April 15, 2011   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Should race be considered for college admissions?

One’s character ought not to be defined by the color of his skin. It ought to be defined by what he does with his life.

As a high school teacher in an inner city school, I have observed many students taking part in our educational process. Let me assure you that, they have not all been pretty. I can tell you about white students that have failed miserably and I can tell you about black students that have passed with such high marks that they have qualified for scholarships that I would have never achieved. We also had students from Mexico, Japan, India, Russia, China, Pakistan, France, South Africa, etc.

One cannot say that their successes or failures are due to their skin color. How can one say that and get away with it. Look at your professional sports. I don’t care what argument you try to get away with, it doesn’t matter. Take any athlete you want to … go ahead and try … I dare you. The most successful athletes practice. It is rumored that Michael Jordan practiced 100 free throws after each game. Think about that for a moment. Do you remember the old saying, "Practice makes perfect"? Is there a reason why, this is just my opinion after years of observation, there are more blacks in the NBA than whites? Perhaps because it is an inexpensive sport to play in the inner-cities and we usually find more blacks living in the inner cities.

To follow this up and, in an attempt to make this point clear, please allow me to give you another idea. I am 5’ 10". I have never slam dunked a basketball on a 10 foot rim in my life. I love to play the game of b-ball but I know I can get crushed by middle school students that know how to play the game well. Should I be able to force the NBA to let me play at the professional level? Should I be able to go to the Detroit Pistons and force them to make a space on their team for me to play? Hopefully you will see the stupidity in that example and you will say no. However, if you say yes, then please stop reading here because you are just too ignorant to get the idea I am trying to make. It is what it is.

So what are you saying Smith? I am saying that if one wants to be successful in any endeavor than one must practice it. Athletes, public speakers, artists, actors and actresses ….. they all practice. If one wants to be a successful student than they need to study, or practice. Can you step into a Calculus class and earn an "A" if you

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>