The ‘Other’ Students

A growing number of students appear to be fed up with their college’s interest in their racial makeup. A new study out explores “the increasing number of students falling into the ‘race/ethnicity unknown’ category of postsecondary demographic data” (hat tip to Todd Zywicki). The study reports that from 1991-2001, the proportion of students identified as being of unknown race grew from 3.2 percent to 5.9 percent. But most of those reporting no racial identity were actually white. At one school 42 of students claimed to be white, but that number rose to 70 percent once they were admitted.
Although the report does not give enough credence to this theory, I believe most students mark ‘other’ because they believe selecting ‘white’ can hurt their chances of admission. The report reads, “It is possible that some increase in unknown students is due to an impression among white [] students that their race/ethnicity would work against them in the admissions process.”
Anecdotal evidence suggests a great many people answer “human” when asked about their race. As Martin Luther King Jr. day approaches, the study reminds us that our government and education institutions continue to be race-crazy, with no signs of letting up. But perhaps we are building a nation of race rebels, refusing to play along.