ABSTRACT
The chapter examines the contemporary situation in the major branches of government, highlighting the increased representation of members of racial and ethnic minority groups. Barack Obama is the first member of a racial or ethnic minority to be elected as president of the United States (US). A structural feature of American government that has had a major impact on racial and ethnic minorities is the division of powers between the national and state governments–federalism. The situation of Asians in US education systems has generally been one of discrimination. US educational policy toward American Indians since the nineteenth century had been to create separate boarding schools, removing children from their home areas to see that they received a "proper" education. In the Latino community, equal educational opportunity issues generally paralleled those of black Americans but were resolved much later. Finally, the chapter discusses two specific policy areas: equal educational opportunity and affirmative action in employment.
