The American Bar Association is on a “diversity” roll. (For earlier manifestations of this roll, see here, here, and here, citing several more.)
Now David Bernstein cites a new proposal submitted to an ABA committee to prohibit law schools from relying on the LSAT because of its “disparate impact.”
David’s post is worth reading, as is the enormous string (over 125 at this writing) of comments. Yes, all of them. (But if you don’t get to them all, at least read the two posted March 4 at 12:01PM and 12:18PM)
Devalue objective measures of competence because they produce a disparate impact? The world has gone mad!
If disproportionate numbers of blacks get 6 times 7 = ___ wrong, should we eliminate that question from all tests?
if the LSAT is disregarded, the students who get in will not be able to pass the bar exams. The next step will be to say that black people don’t have to take that because fewer of us pass it than white people. The whole thing is degrading to black people, to continually be in state where everything has to be lowered for you. It’s better to not have such programs and have fewer students. Those blacks who are motivated to gain certain skills will pass the tests at the same rate as other groups. The rest should be left alone, just like a white person who can’t pass a certain test.