Public Policy

Civil Rights, Liberties and Policymakers in  Public Policy

Administrative Items for Class

THE PUBLIC POLICY TOOLKIT

Civil Rights and Liberties 

CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY
Elite and Mass Modeling in Action 

 WRESTLING WITH CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES

When do "them" become "us"?

 “New” and “Old” Minorities in Need of Rights Action

Dealing with the "ISMS" of Discrimination

Racism, Sexism, Ageism...

HISTORY AND CIVIL RIGHTS

14th and Incorporation        Brown I and Brown II - '54 and '55 and Swann – 1971

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT         - Taylor Branch

 Affirmative Action    Bakke – 1978 and Richmond v. Crossen – 1989

University Diversity

That led to an important question: If universities could not set aside specific seats for minorities as U.C. Davis had done, in what ways could they use race in admissions?  http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/06/25/findlaw.analysis.dorf.affirmative/

Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger

June 2003 -The Supreme Court handed down its decisions in Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. ___ (2003) and Gratz v. Bollinger, 539 U.S.___ (2003).  In Grutter, the Court held that the University of Michigan ’s use of race among other factors in its law school admissions program was constitutional because the program furthered a compelling interest in obtaining “an educational benefit that flows from student body diversity”. The Court also found that the law school’s program was narrowly tailored; it was flexible, and provided for a “holistic” review of each applicant. In Gratz, the Court rejected the undergraduate admissions program at the College of Literature , Science and the Arts, which granted points based on race and ethnicity and did not provide for a review of each applicant’s entire file.  

Bakke – 1978

In 1978, the life expectancy of a black child was five years shorter than that of a white child. Today it is six years shorter.

• Twenty-five years ago, a black child's mother was three times as likely to die of complications during childbirth as a white mother. Today (2003) she is 3-1/2 times as likely to die during childbirth.

• The infant mortality rate for blacks was twice that for whites. Today it is slightly more than twice.

• In 1978, four times as many black families lived with incomes below the poverty line as white families. Today, that ratio remains unchanged.

• For black adults, the unemployment rate was twice that of whites, and for black teens it was three times. Today, both statistics remain unchanged.

• The median income of a black family in 1978 was 60 percent of the median income of a white family. Today, it is 66 percent of white-family income.

• In 1978, blacks represented 11.5 percent of the population, but they were only 1.2 percent of the lawyers and judges, 2 percent of the physicians, 2.3 percent of the dentists, 1.1 percent of the engineers, and 2.6 percent of college and university professors. Today, blacks represent 12.3 percent of the population, and are 5.1 percent of the lawyers and judges, 5.6 percent of physicians, 4.1 percent of dentists, 5.5 percent of engineers, and 6.1 percent of college and university professors.  http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0328/p01s01-usju.html

 

GENDER EQUALITY

“Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” 

Rights and Economics

Work Force and the Earnings Gap  ($0.76 v. $1.00)  not direct but cultural

“White”   “Pink” and “Blue” collar jobs…REALLY?

 THE GLASS CEILING and COMPARABLE WORTH

 ABORTION

1965 - Griswold v. CT                                        

1971 - Roe v. Wade                                          

1989 - Webster v. Reproductive Health Services

1992 - Planned Parenthood of PA v. Casey

Sexual Harassment - Acts or a "hostile work environment"

WHAT CONSTITUTES A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT?  Grandmother/Clergy rule - If wouldn't say it in front of them - then NOT in front of your coworker...

 Cyber Crime and Cyber "Discrimination"

DIGITAL DIVIDE

The Internet - the third wave or the next obstacle.... 

Bridges.com - Stats on Digital Divide

 

POLICY ACTORS

 SUBGOVERNMENTS

OFFICIAL

Primary

Supplementary

 

UNOFFICIAL

 

EXERCISE - Write down examples of EACH category of policymakers related to Civil Rights Policy

HEALTH AND WELFARE POLICY

Who are some actors in the civil rights policy subgovernment?

Elite and Rational Actor Modeling in Action 

ARE GOOD HEALTH AND A REASONABLE QUALITY OF LIFE A RIGHT or a PRIVILEGE IN AMERICA?  

 

Health Data-Health Links

WELFARE

Poverty in America

Who are the Poor? 

Complexities in Data 

CYBER CRIME