US should look to other countries for guidance on affirmative action, says Wagner

Recently a federal judge upheld Harvard’s race-conscious admissions policy. But this won’t be the last time affirmative action policies on campus will be challenged — in the courts or in public debate.

 In an op-ed for The Hill, Daniel Wagner, Director of the International Literacy Institute and the International Education Development Program, argues that by only focusing on our own history, the United States misses an opportunity to learn from other countries that have tried to increase equity. Wagner specifically cites the “reservation” system in India, which has increased civil service among the Dalit population in India.

“If we take a lesson from India and these other countries, we could start to build a system that proactively increases equity in higher education,” writes Wagner, leading us towards a more diverse and equitable society.

Read the full piece on The Hill here.