December 9th 2024.
As many of you may have heard, a civil lawsuit brought by a conservative legal group had the potential to shake up the admissions process at the United States Naval Academy. This group contested the use of race as a factor in determining admissions. However, on December 6, a federal judge ruled in favor of the practice, upholding its use. This news broke in a statement from Natl Association for College Admission Counseling on Twitter, announcing that U.S. Senior District Judge Richard Bennett had affirmed the alignment of the Naval Academy's admission policies with the Supreme Court's exemption for military academies.
While this ruling may have brought relief to some, it also established that the executive branch, specifically the President of the United States, has the power to influence decisions regarding the use of race in the admissions process. As we approach the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, there is speculation that this ruling may be challenged, as he has shown hostility towards diversity and inclusion in the past.
In addition, Trump's pick for the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has also expressed his disdain for diversity in the military. In a podcast discussing diversity in the military, he stated that "Woke sh*t has got to go" and that being dedicated to warfighting should be the only litmus test for military officers. He also called for the removal of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and CRT (Critical Race Theory) from military academies, stating that they are "baptizing" young officers in this type of thinking.
In his ruling, Judge Bennett took into consideration the history of the military and its need for a highly qualified and diverse officer corps. He stated that diversity is crucial for military effectiveness and national security, and the idea that diversity is not important goes against decades of military consensus.
Leah Watson, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU's Racial Justice Program, praised the decision in a press release, stating that diversity is essential in shaping leaders who can effectively handle the complex challenges facing our nation. She also emphasized that this ruling clearly rejects any attempt to apply previous decisions on affirmative action to military academies, and that the law still allows for the consideration of race to promote equal opportunity.
The door for this case to be brought to court was opened by a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that deemed the use of affirmative action in university admissions unconstitutional, with the exception of military academies. The group behind the lawsuit challenged this exception, citing a footnote from Chief Justice John Roberts that mentioned the potential for future cases regarding military academies.
Judge Bennett also referenced this footnote in his decision, stating that the record in this case proves the caution advised by Justice Roberts. He continued to say that the Navy and Marine Corps have shown how the limited use of race in admissions has positively impacted the diversity and effectiveness of their units, recruitment and retention, and domestic and international legitimacy.
In response to this ruling, the Students for Fair Admissions have expressed their intent to appeal the decision and are willing to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. Edward Blum, the conservative legal activist and president of Students for Fair Admissions, stated that they hope the military academies will ultimately follow the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action in college admissions.
In conclusion, the use of race as a factor in the admissions process at the United States Naval Academy has been upheld by a federal judge, despite the efforts of a conservative legal group to challenge it. This decision has been met with both praise and criticism, and it remains to be seen if this case will be brought before the Supreme Court.
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