Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, said the shift away from race could help the MBDA focus more on socioeconomic status. But, he said, using a form to establish applicants’ disadvantage probably will not help the agency accomplish its goals, and he suggested the agency adopt an essay-writing process similar to universities and the SBA to help it focus on an individual’s need.
Kahlenberg, who testified for the plaintiffs in the Harvard case, has long criticized race-based affirmative action, arguing instead for a class-based approach.
“If you care about racial diversity, as I do, you want to find fairer ways to get to the same result,” he said.
“And it’s precisely because of the nation’s history of discrimination and the ongoing realities of discrimination by race that communities of color will disproportionately benefit from a needs-based approach to affirmative action,” he added. “And there’s no constitutional problem with that.”
