<p>"Better rounded classes give better classroom dynamic and discussions."</p>
<p>I hear this one a LOT. OK, maybe true in certain classes in the social sciences. But what about physics, chemistry, biology, language, foreign language, research, mathematics, history (I can understand how diverse background could matter here), politics? Essentially, ALL of the sciences, ALL the mathematics courses, MANY of the language and lit classes, MANY of the politics classes ... I don't understand how diverse backgrounds help at all. If you're learning russian, it doesn't matter that you came from the ghetto. If you want to solve a second order homogenous differential, it doesn't matter that your parents didn't support you. If you're learning the technicalities of film production and film editting, who cares that gang headquarters were across the street? Do you think that inter-class tensions and the downfall of academia are always relevant to classroom discussions? Even in social science classes, this is not often the case. </p>
<p>"A way of combating institutionalized racism"
How? The ghetto kids in my class are basically all at the bottom, grade wise and study habit wise. Many come to school empty handed. In my first block, many come at the end of the period. Yeah, they don't have parent support. I understand there are difficulties, but these kids don't reduce racism. In fact, I think that they perpetuate the sometimes incorrect stereotypes that are already in place, that slum kids are poorly disciplined and not hard working. I wonder, if universities accept URMs who will struggle in classes as they have had few opportunities, at least initially, how will this improve race relations and make their 'image' better? </p>
<p>"making the future key positions of power less dominated by white upper-class culture"
What do you have against white people? (BTW i'm not white). Just the fact that you believe that there should be equal ratios of races in all positions indicates to me that you are racist. </p>
<p>"creating institutions better prepared to handle and serve an increasingly diverse world and workforce"
God, so many cliches and catchphrases and buzz words. Can't socially conscious upper class people do well in leadership positions? Can't a white person fight for improvement of slums, or is it only slum kids that can become leaders of reform that understand the plight of the colored? Are people truly so separated from each other that we can't even work towards bettering a situation if we haven't personally gone through it? </p>
<p>"It boggles my mind you'd have such a hard time understanding the grave importance of diversity in an educational system for a long time so closed off to a particular and small segment of the population."</p>
<p>Way to be condescending and closed minded yourself. If I am as "isolated and sheltered" as you say I am, you should not be surprised that I don't understand why diversity is important for colleges, right?</p>