> > I agree. Having a separate "Distinguished African-American Student of the Year" gives an impression of white skin being the norm, and other people have to get awards like these out of pity. White skin should not be the norm. Neither should black skin. No skin colour should.
>
> Beg your pardon? I graduated in a class of 97 students, of which exactly one was black. I would say white skin most certainly *was* the norm, like it or not. And why shouldn't it be? Seems to me that if a group is 99% white, it would be downright ridiculous to pretend like there's an even distribution.

I'm gathering the intention behind the use of the word "norm" isn't with respect to distribution, but with respect to deviance from some "proper" standard. It is normal to be white and normal (if unusual in some communities) to be black; not normal to be white and abnormal to be black.

Anyway, in offering an award targeted specifically at African-Americans, I see two atrocious implications: one, that African-Americans aren't going to be good enough to win a more general award; two, that the white race isn't special enough to warrant a corresponding award.

By the way, Lirelyn, hilarious (if poignant) anecdotes.