Affirmative Action update - Carta enviada a Bill Clinton

LAS PIEDRAS, PUERTO RICO
18 AUGUST 1999.

(COPY OF A LETTER SENT TO PRESIDENT CLINTON)

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT:

VERY SPECIAL GREETINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FROM THE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO!. EVEN THOUGH WE DO NOT VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT IN THE US ELECTIONS, I AM A FERVENT AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO WISHES ONE OF THESE DAYS OUR ISLAND WILL BECOME THE 51ST STATE OF THE UNION.
THE PURPOSE OF MY LETTER IS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. IN LIEU OF ITS DEFINITION, MINORITIES ARE ALREADY LABELED AS "DISADVANTAGED", SO AS SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO "ENSURE" EQUALITY OF OUTCOME IN OUR SOCIETY. I REALLY FEEL SORRY AND ANNOYED ABOUT HOW AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AS WE KNOW IT UNDERMINES MINORITY GROUP'S SELF ESTEEM, AND HOW THEY ENTER NOW IN A VICIOUS CYCLE OF DEPENDENCY UPON THE GOVERNMENT TO ACCOMPLISH THE AMERICAN DREAM.

REGARDING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, THERE ARE THREE ASPECTS OF THIS SET- ASIDE PROGRAM THAT CAN BE IMPROVED:

1) GOVERNMENT CONTRACT AWARDS: IF I HAVE EQUALLY QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS THAT WILL GIVE A SERVICE WITH THE SAME TERMS, CONDITIONS ANS COSTS, I WILL SELECT THE WINNER USING MATHEMATICS (BY MEANS OF A COMPUTERIZED AT- RANDOM SELECTION). THIS WILL BE REALLY COLOR AND GENDER BLINDED.

2) STUDENT UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS: IF I HAVE 50 OPENINGS AND 1000 EQUALLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WITH THE SAME GPA , MERITS AND PRE- ADMISSION TEST QUALIFICATIONS, I WILL DO A COMPUTERIZED RAFFLE TO FILL IN THE POSITIONS. MATHEMATICS AGAIN WILL BE COLOR BLINDED AGAIN.

3) SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: IN PUERTO RICO, IF YOU HAVE 300 APPLICANTS FOR A GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP, AND YOU HAVE ALL OF THEM EQUALLY QUALIFIED, THE RECIPIENTS ARE SELECTED ON AN ECONOMIC(NOT COLOR OR GENDER) BASIS (APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR PARENT'S INCOME TAX RETURNS), SO WE DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM THAT A BLACK WOMAN GETS A SCHOLARSHIP, EVEN THOUGH SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A WEALTHY DOCTOR.

AFTER THIS BRIEF DISCUSSION, WE STILL HAVE A POINT TO COVER: HOW WE ENSURE EDUCATIONAL EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE INNER CITIES OR POOR AREAS AGAINST THE ONES WHO CAN AFFORD A BETTER ONE?

HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED IN PUERTO RICO: PEDRO ROSSELLO, GOVERNOR OF THE ISLAND AND A "SELF-STYLED NEW DEMOCRAT", ESTABLISHED A VOUCHER SYSTEM WHERE CHILDREN WOULD GO TO ANY KIND OF SCHOOL, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE(INCLUDING PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS, SPORTS SCHOOLS, ART & MUSICAL SCHOOLS, MILITARY ACADEMIES). AT THE SAME TIME, HE STARTED TO REFORM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BY CONVERTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS INTO "COMMUNITY SCHOOLS", A HYBRID BETWEEN PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOL. IN THIS TYPE OF SCHOOL, MOST OF THE DECISIONS ARE TAKEN BY THE "COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD", COMPOSED OF TEACHERS, THE PRINCIPAL, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PARENTS. IN THIS WAY THE SO-LONG AND NEVER-ENDING BUREAUCRATIC MADNESS WAS ELIMINATED. DECISIONS WERE BEING TAKEN LOCALLY, WITH PARENTAL PARTICIPATION....

DURING THE VOUCHER TRIAL PERIOD, KIDS WERE GIVEN A VOUCHER TO GO TO EITHER A PRIVATE OR COMMUNITY SCHOOL. THE RESULTS WERE AMAZING: MOST KIDS WENT TO A COMMUNITY SCHOOL RATHER THAN A PRIVATE ONE!.
UNFORTUNATELLY, THIS PROGRAM WAS STRUCK DOWN BY THE PUERTO RICAN SUPREME COURT BECAUSE THERE IS AN AMMENDMENT IS THE PUERTO RICAN CONSTITUTION THAT FORBIDS THE FUNDING OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS USING TAXPAYER MONEY. WHAT A SHAME! WORK IS BEING DONE TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM.

AS YOU SEE, MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK THERE IS AN EASY AND REASONABLE WAY TO CORRECT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND SUBSTITUTE IT WITH A BETTER APPROACH TO ENSURE EVERYBODY IS GIVEN AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. GOVERNOR JEB BUSH OF FLORIDA IS TAKING THE INITIAL STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH HIS VOUCHER PROGRAM. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND PLEASE VISIT US SOON!

VERY TRULY YOURS,
HECTOR L. DEL VALLE
PO BOX 986, LAS PIEDRAS, PR 00771
(787) 733- 3579
YIYO4U@HOTMAIL.COM