The Bakke Case; Georgian Gymnast George
Salemite, November 4,1977, Page 3
Reverse Discrimination
or Affirmative Action?
By Sandra L. Spear
On Oct. 12 the Supreme Court of the U.S. heard oral arguments on
the potentially momentous case Regents of the University of
California v. Allan Bakke. The decision of the Court, should the Court
decide to issue an opinion on the case, could have massive
ramifications not only on admissions policies of graduate and
professional schools, but also on affirmative action programs of both
the public and private sectors.
Allan Bakke, a white 37 year-old en^eer in California, applied to
several medical schools in 1973, including the University of California
at Davis. Denied admittance by each of the schools, he filed a reverse
discrimination suit against Davis, claiming tht he was denied one of
the 100 places in the first year class on account of race, in violation of
the “equal protection” clause of the fourteenth amendment. For
several years, Davis has reserved 16 places in each entering class for
applicants from “disadvantaged educational, cultural and socio
economic backgrounds.” During the period of the policy’s existence,
no white student has been placed in any of these 16 places.
The traditionally liberal California Supreme Court, in a 6-to-l
decision, decided in favor of Bakke, declaring that the use of race as a
criterion in admissions decisions was unconstitutional unless all other
means of increasing minority enrollment, had been exhausted. The
University appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, thereby
enjoining Bakke’s admission pending the decision of the Supreme
Court.
A record total of 60 briefs were submitted to the Court on the case, 58
of which were friend-of-the-court briefs submitted by organizations
which feel they have an interest in the outcome of the case. Of the 58,
42 opposed Bakke’s position, one of which was submitted by the U.S.
Government.
Archibald Cox, attorney for the Univ. of California, argued in his
brief and before the Court that affirmative action programs are
essential in order for minority groups to overcome centuries of voert
discrimination, even to the extent of using minimum “quotas or
“goals” if necessary. U.S. Solicitor General Wade McCree argued for
the U.S. Government that affirmative action progams are both in
stitutional and essential for overcoming discrimination. The Carter
Administration, as represented by McCree, objects to the use o
quotas, however, and would like the Court to decide against them. San
Francisco attorney Reynold Colvin, representing Bakke, argued
against the use of either quotas or affirmative action programs,
preferring a policy of “equal cooperation.”
The decision of the Court is not expected until June, unless the
Justices decide to send the case back to the California Suprerne Court
for clarification. In the event that the Court decides to issue an
opinion on the constitutional questions involved in the case, far
reaching effects could result. Few legal scholars care to hazard a
guess as to the nature of the decision, but many agree that it could be
as significant to the civil rights movement as was Brown v. Topeka
Board of Education.
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Dancing Nightly —
Free Disco Music
By Page Jones
You would never know that the
girl in this picture is extremely
limber, agile, and athletically
inclined. You might not believe it
if told that she can out-jump you,
out-twist you, and do flips so fast
that you probably would lose
■ count. Her name is Alice George,
a Salem sophomore from Albany,
Ga. She has been known by other
names in the past such as 1973
Georgia State AAU Gymnastics
Champion, or 1975 Most
Improved Gymnast.
there was always another
championship to be won. To
Alice, important things are
learning sportsmanship and
gaining ma urity through
competition and responsibility.
Far more important than victory
or maturity Alice has learned
something which has made all
the hours of practice worthwhile.
She explained, “I learned to
accept defeat as well as
victory.... and you have to do
that .ill of your life.”
Alice George
Alice began gymnastics as a
result of other interests. She
started dancing in the third grade
and took acrobatics in the fourth
grade. In 8th grade she she saw a
gymnastics team perform and
joined a team one week later.
After one short year with the
team she claimed the 1973
Compulsory State Championship
title. She was 2nd in the 1974 and
1975 AAU State Championship
meets. Alice was a member of the
Albany YMCA gymnastics team,
state champions from 1973 - 1975.
Alice no longer is inyolved in
active competition but is
Assistant Gymnastics director
for Summit School, a private
school in Winston-Salem. While
teaching a class by doing a split,
Alice tore the muscle away from
her right hip bone. She will not be
able to exercise for at least a
month.
Alice’s favorite and most
, difficult move is called a “front-
front.” The move starts m
standing position, then the
gymnast does a front hand
spring, and before landing she
does one complete flip in the air.
Discussing why this moye was
her favorite in competition, Alice
explained, “It was my glory
trick. It made me feel proud to do
it' ” In contrast to her excitement
about this floor exercise, Alice
has a fear of the balance beam.
She said she was terrified of any
backwards movements. 1
couldn’t wait to come crashmg
down on my head,” she said.
Why would anyone want to
spend hours and days straining,
twisting, and turning every
muscle and tendon? Alice George
said that winning the
championship was not what
made it worthwhile, because
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