If the results of this testing are as Dane related them, I, for one, have no reason to believe otherwise, these are clear cases of employment discrimination and subject to legal action. This is not a study, or a survey or a poll‹ it's a testing, something civil rights monitors in the Twin Cities as well as Milwaukee and other urban centers do all the time (and have done for 50 years) because it's often the only way to identify companies (as with realtors and landlords in the housing arena) willing to weed out potential employees based on their color.
And that's the point: that people who care about these issues will test the marketplace for sign of racial discrimination in violation of local and state human right laws in preparation for official complaints and, if necessary, punishment. The ultimate goal is to change behaviors or be penalized for breaking the law. Changing hiring practices to make them more color-blind (or gender-blind, etc.) is the ultimate goal because what we really want are jobs for traditionally excluded peoples based on everything but their qualifications to do the work required. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul Former St. Paul Human Rights Commissioner -- The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men: Plato "Everything secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity." - Lord Acton -- Visit our weblog: http://newswired.blogspot.com > From: "Michael Atherton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > > Andy Driscoll wrote: > >> Once again, you're not reading. This was a legitimate >> testing methodology, the same as used by fair housing >> outlets funded by the federal government. Testing sends >> a mix of races and ethnic "minorities" into the marketplace to >> test for discrimination. This is empirically and >> statistically sound. Four men filing 350 separate jobs >> applications equals 1,400 application samples in one city. >> National polling considered statistically sound employ far >> fewer samples - often between 850 and 1,200 respondents out >> of 300 million to measure public opinion (a much less concrete >> measurement) on political candidates and issues. >> >> Not only does the data suggest what we already know, it is >> significant in its impact for the ratio between the samples >> size and the population it represents. >> >> I would suggest you study your statistics a bit better >> before adjudging such data as less reliable than you likely >> would a far less representative poll. > > Could someone please cite the original journal reference for > this study? Without knowing the design, methods, and > type of analysis there's no way of evaluating whether these figures > are reliable, valid, or generalizable. Given the information > provided so far I can think of any number of factors that might > have needed to be controled for and could have invalidated the results. > We need to look at the origional methodlogy, not the secondary citation. > > Also, what is important here is not that discrimination exists > (most us of probably agree that it does). What we need to > know is what factors can be modified to help people find > jobs. > > Michael Atherton > Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
