Kirwan Institute > Research > Projects > Affirmative... > State News & The Connerly Initiatives > General
Initiatives Generally
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All of the initiatives are very similar, if not identical. The basic portion of each initiative aims to amend the state constitution to read as follows:
[State Name] Civil Rights Initiative:
The state shall not discriminate against, or grant 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.
The text of the initiative makes no mention of the fact that it eliminates all state affirmative action programs, and co-opts civil rights movement language for a purpose completely at odds with the goals of that movement. The initiative has had a serious impact on diversity in the states where it has passed.
