Affirmative Action in that blacks get preference over the whites is not necessary in the least. The only thing I'm even remotely in favour of is out of two equally-qualified candidates, one black, and one white, choosing the black one. If they're both equally qualified, most people would end up hiring the white one anyway, not out of racism, but simply because people are more comfortable being around familiar people. This is of course, assuming the hiring manager is white as well.

It's long-served it's purpose. A black professor from Berkley, John Ogbu, conducted a study in Shaker Heights, outside Cleveland. Parents were complaining that their kids weren't receiving adequate education like the white kids were, in one of the best school systems in the country. The study determined that the kids and parents were at fault for doing poorly, as it was seen as "being white" to do well in school, and their parents were almost completely uninvolved in their kids' schoolwork. The results infuriated the parents, who were convinced it was the school system not motivating them enough, and Ogdu was basically ostracized.

Things like that are why I see AA as unnecessary. Sure you have exceptions to everything, but in general the culture in black communities asserts that not dressing ghetto and speaking in street-slang are considered white, and they reinforce their own stereotype. There are lots of smart black children that are doing phenomenally in school settings, but a large percentage are too convinced that it's not cool to do well, and their parents simply aren't on their case to do better. It's NOT the teachers' responsibility to make sure high school kids are doing their homework.