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This is inherently divisive - and has nothing to do with remedying any lingering consequences of slavery or evening the playing field.
It's about race without varnish, and, properly understood, it's an insult to all Black people: it represents the idea that it's so unusual for a Black child to be a good student with exemplary behavior that it's an achievement worthy of public recognition. That's sad, a slap in the face to many tens of thousands of Black children who are doing their very best.
Just doing one's duty is not what awards are about and to tell Black children that doing one's duty is exceptional enough to win an award communicates an unfortunate message to them; it also communicates an unfortunate message about Black people to the rest of the students.
The Jewish and Asian kids, the children of immigrants to these shores in general, acquire from their parents and their culture a value that being a good student with good behavior is simply the basepoint worthy of no special recognition, and that, frankly, it's usually just not good enough. They are challenged and motivated to do the very best work they are capable of producing, they are punished when they only meet minimum standards short of their capabilities, and that's why they tend to excel.
If Black families ever get around to inculcating those values in their kids, affirmative action, racial preferences, and some large part of the welfare state will all become quite unnecessary.
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Extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice. . . Restraint in the pursuit of Justice is no virtue.
Senator Barry Goldwater, 1964
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