A supporter of equality of opportunity as a way of redressing past civil rights inequities would be most likely to advocate

• A. color-blind administration of the laws.
• B. preferential treatment for Blacks.
• C. comparable-worth pay scales.
• D. busing for racial integration of schools.

Answer: (B)

Equality of opportunity means creating a fair chance by removing the barriers that have limited people’s chances in the past. When trying to fix the effects of past discrimination, a common approach is to give extra help to groups that were historically disadvantaged so they can compete on an equal footing. Advocating preferential treatment for Blacks embodies that idea, aiming to compensate for past civil rights injustices and expand access to education or jobs.

The other options don’t target restoring opportunity in the same direct way: a color-blind approach ignores past inequities and wouldn’t address the historical barriers; comparable-worth pay scales focus on pay equity across occupations rather than correcting race-based inequities; busing for racial integration seeks desegregation and broader equality of access but is more about the process of mixing groups than specifically compensating for past discrimination.