Proposition 209 abolished minority and women preferences in contracts, state employment, and education. Prior to the passage of the proposition, state government had a diverse system of minority and gender set asides, quotas, and preferences in its recruitment and hiring practices. Sometimes a minority or woman who had fewer technical qualifications was admitted to college

The federal, state, and local governments ran programs intended to increase opportunities for various groups such as women and racial and ethnic minority groups. These programs are called ''affirmative action" programs. For example, state law identifies goals for the participation of women-owned and minority-owned companies involved with state contracts. State departments are expected, but not required, to meet these goal

PROPOSITION 209 LOOPHOLE PERMITS STATE GOVERNMENT TO DENY WOMEN OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND CONTRACTING, SOLELY BASED ON THEIR GENDER.

Thus, the measure could affect up to $75 million in state spending in public schools and community colleges.

Currently, California women have one of the strongest state constitutional protections against sex discrimination in the country. Now it is difficult for state and local government to discriminate against women in public employment, education, and the awarding of state contracts because of their gender. Proposition 209's loophole will undo this vital state constitutional protection.

outreach and recruitment programs to encourage applicants for government jobs and contracts; and

The measure also could affect funding for public schools (kindergarten through grade 12) and community college programs. For instance, the measure could eliminate, or cause fundamental changes to, voluntary desegregation programs run by school districts. (It would not, however, affect court-ordered desegregation programs.) Examples of desegregation spending that could be affected by the measure include the special funding given to (1) ''magnet" schools (in those cases where race or ethnicity are preferential factors in the admission of students to the schools) and (2) designated ''racially isolated minority schools" that are located in areas with high proportions of racial or ethnic minorities. We estimate that up to $60 million of state and local funds spent each year on voluntary desegregation programs may be affected by the measure.

Some topics in this essay:
Pete Wilson, United Constitution, Community Colleges, University Califor-, MINORITIES California, Rights Initiative, Legislative Analyst, Currently California, Newt Gingrich, DIVISION COMMUNITIES, affirmative action, proposition 209, california civil rights, action programs, civil rights, california civil, affirmative action programs, public employment, financial aid, measure affect, race ethnicity, affected measure, quotas california civil, public schools community, civil rights initiative”,