Campus Bake Sale Heats Up Affirmative Action Debate

The Berkeley College Republicans drew a crowd of media, students and activists Tuesday by holding a bake sale to protest California Senate Bill 185, a bill that would allow California public universities to take race into consideration during the admissions process. The bill has been approved by the state Legislature and now waits for Gov. Jerry Brown's signature.

Aiming to make the point that the bill represents a racist policy in itself, the student group priced its baked good depending on the race of the customer. The price for a treat was set at $2 for whites, $1.50 for Asians and 75 cents for African-Americans, with women receiving a further 25-cent discount. However, on the day, the student manning the table told customers that they could pay whatever they want.

Meanwhile, supporters of SB 185 held signs, signed petitions and participated in a phone bank. A long line of students dressed in black walked silently through Sproul Plaza to protest the bake sale, the Daily Californian reports. 

One student simply stood aside from the bustle holding a sign that read, "this is wrong."

Administrators at UC Berkeley have publicly noted their disapproval of the methods used by the Berkeley College Republicans, urging "respectful conduct by all student organizations."

One pair of students made light of the situation by dressing in wizard cloaks and hats and holding signs asking for "more diversity at Hogwarts" — the fictional wizarding school in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. 

For updates on the bake sale and protests, check out the Daily Cal's live blog.

What do you think of the Berkeley College Republicans' bake sale?