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Today Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced his opposition to a Senate Constitutional Amendment 5 that would remove all anti-discrimination protection on public education in California as provided by Proposition 209.
Currently, the California Constitution prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.
This proposed legislation would eliminate this prohibition on state discrimination or preference in the operation of public education. Public education institutions of higher learning will be exempt from the requirements of Proposition 209 which voters passed in 1996. The people of California have spoken on this subject and we are a better state as a result.
SCA 5 will turn the clock back and allow schools to use race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin as a consideration for accepting students or hiring employees.
“The results of Proposition 209 were compelling. Minority graduation rates actually increased after the proposition was implemented.” Wilk said. “Merit should always be the measure by which our educational system should admit students to institutions of higher learning and that is why I will be voting 'no' on this measure when it comes before me.”